Moose Hill Audubon Sanctuary Nature Center - Sharon, MA - Solar Power on Waymarking.com

In Sharon, at the Massachusetts Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary, is a set of solar panels on the nature center and the garage/groundkeeper's house behind it. These panels were installed as part of a major renovation that also included an addition to the nature center, and the ribbon cutting for the addition and panels took place in May 2010.

These panels are rated to provide 18 kW of power and provide up to 95% of the electricity needs of the facilities. The panels are installed on the south facing pitched roof of both buildings. On the nature center, there are two rows of fifteen panels and one row of 12 panels (to make room for the chimneys), in portrait orientation. On the garage, there are three rows of six panels, in landscape orientation.

There are also solar panels on the Moose Hill Community Farm barn, but that building is at least a mile away from these panels.

Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary is the oldest of the network of sanctuaries operated by Massachusetts Audubon (Mass. Audubon). The sanctuary is also one of the largest, with over 2000 acres of land, and 25 miles of trails. There are many educational programs offered as well, including summer day camp, annual events, nature themed events, and guided walks. Check their web site, included below, for details.

You can see the solar panels from the road, so there is technically no fee needed to see them. To hike on the trails, however, you either need to be a member of Massachusetts Audubon (Audubon Society membership is not recognized), or pay the fee, which is $4 per adult. There are three ways to get there. From I-95, take the exit to US-1 north in Foxborough (not onto US-1/I-93 in Canton). Follow US-1 north to the intersection with Mass. Route 27. Take Mass. Route 27 south over I-95 to the next intersection. Take a right onto Moose Hill Street and follow that road PAST MOOSE HILL FARM (owned by Trustees of Reservations) to the next intersection. Take a left, then another left to the parking lot. The nature center is the large white building where the brick walkway leads to. The panels are on the other side of this entrance.

More Information:

Moose Hill Audubon Sanctuary (on the Massachusetts Audubon Web Site):
(visit link)

Type of system: Photovoltaic (electrical) Related webpage: [Web Link]

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