The Town Hall of one of the oldest towns in the United States has adopted one of our nation’s newest forms of energy-generating technology. The Town Hall in Ipswich, Massachusetts — founded in 1633 on Massachusetts’ north shore — has been solar-powered for just over a week, thanks to Ipswich’s persistent leaders and some unlikely funding sources. According to the Boston Herald, the system accounts for 30 to 35 percent of the Town Hall’s daily energy needs.

The Town Hall’s solar installation had been written off two years ago by the Ipswich Electric Department, which said that the return on investment (ROI) would simply take too long. Ipswich was able to get the project approved just this past April — two years after the initial denial.

The funding for the town Hall installation came from a combination of sources. One was a $150,000 Green Communities Program Grant. The rest of the funding — $92,000 — came from the Ipswich Electric Department Energy Conservation Program. Once construction began, the installation took just one month to complete.

Together with new, energy-efficient thermal windows and fluorescent light bulbs, the 160-panel system is expected to save the Town Hall about $30,000 in annual energy costs. The system on its own is expected to save $6,000 in annual electricity charges.

UPDATE: Thanks to Jane for pointing out that the original image included in this article was taken in Ipswich, England — and for sending us the real picture of the town’s new solar installation!