Hidden Springs Maple has completed an energy renovation project throughout the farm store, canning and shipping plants a located at 162 Westminster Road in Putney. The company will have a booth at the Live Green Expo on Saturday, June 2 where theyâ ll be celebrating with a free tasting table of Hidden Springs pure Vermont maple syrup, a chance to win a basket of maple products and information about their commitment to going green.
Hidden Springs Maple has installed 72 230-watt solar modules that will produce 19786 kWh per yearâ a savings of approximately $3,739 per year in electricity, says the installer Tim Biebel, Vice President, Prudent Living, Inc.
HSM had already installed geothermal to heat the house that is connected to the farm store and the shipping room, and while geothermal helps the environment because it avoids burning fossil fuels to generate heat, it uses lots of electricity. So, according to the owners, geothermal was not the complete answer. The solar panels will now generate the electricity needed to power the geothermal.
â The visibility of the solar panels on the HSM barn has already generated intense interest in the community,’says Sarah Cooper-Ellis, store manager. â Many have come to examine the installation and determine how much electricity is being generated. We have had visits from other individuals and business people who are looking into solar installation.â
Hidden Springs is committed to not only use solar and geo power, but to encourage others togo green. The up-front costs can be offset by state tax rebate from Vermont and the Federal tax credit. HSM is not only investing in saving money on energy costs, but investing in the future of the planet.
Hidden Springs Maple is a family-owned and operated Vermont business that opened its doors on the day after Thanksgiving (2011) with Peter Shumlin, Governor of Vermont, as guest speaker. The family has been making syrup for over 50 years. They harvest maple sap from approximately five thousand wild maple trees and produce about fifteen hundred gallons of maple syrup per year. Hidden Springs also sells syrup from several other local sugarmakers, and ships maple products throughout the world.
The Live Green Expo is Saturday, June 2, following the Strolling of the Heifers parade, which starts at 10 am on Main Street in Brattleboro.