Town Meeting voters approved a measure that would allow the town of Wareham to purchase renewable energy credits from out of town facilities this week.

Articles 16 and 17 were both proposals to allow the Board of Selectmen to negotiate "net-metering power purchasing agreements."

Article 17 happened to come up first in Town Meeting's lottery system, and it was decided Tuesday that the the language allowed for net-metering power purchasing agreements from wind or solar facilities, making article 16 redundant.

On Monday voters gave Selectmen the authority to negotiate a net-metering power purchasing agreement with Sage Stone LLC. For more on the proposed agreement with Sage Stone, click here.

It was explained that, under such an agreement, Sage Stone would trade solar electricity generated at a not-yet-constructed solar power facility in Plymouth, to NStar for “net-metering credits.”

Wareham would act as the customer, and those credits could be used to lower the town’s electricity costs. Renewable energy companies, like Sage Stone, often partner with municipalities in net-metering agreements.

In dollars and cents, this means that for the first five years of the solar project, Wareham would pay 90 cents on the dollar for electricity, or 10% less than the town would pay to NStar without the credits.

For the remaining 20 years of the proposed 25-year contract, Wareham would pay 80 cents on the dollar, or 20 percent less than the town would pay to NStar without the credits.

A power purchasing agreement with Future Generation Wind would be essentially the same, except for the amount of money the town would save.

Keith Mann of Future Generation Wind LLC., said the agreement would save Wareham $18.5 million on their municipal energy bill over a 20-year contract. For more on the proposed deal with Future Generation Wind click here.

Under an agreement with Sage Stone the town would save approximately $93,000 on municipal energy costs per year over the first five years of the contract, and $185,000 per year for the remaining twenty years.

Under an agreement with Future Generation Wind, the company estimates that Wareham would save $207,000 per year.

Selectmen Chair Steve Holmes stressed that the renewable energy projects would not be located in Wareham.

“The Board of Selectmen in no way shape or form is looking to put up a windmill or a solar field…What we’re looking to do is to obtain metering credits. The town is going to put up no structures,” under the proposed article, said Holmes.

The measure was met with some resistance on Town Meeting floor, when former-Selectman and vocal wind power opponent Brenda Eckstrom argued that the language ought to be changed to limit the type of energy sources from which the town can purchase credits.

Eckstrom argued Monday that the article as written “leaves the door wide open” for net-metering purchasing agreements from wind or other renewable energy sources.

“I understand this is not built in Wareham … but I also am a resident of the state of Massachusetts, and I know that the Cape Cod Commission has had a lot of issues with energy projects that have been put out and are now being dismantled,” said Eckstrom.

Resident Bill Heaney disagreed.

“I don’t like the idea of limiting this," he said. "I don’t want a turbine near my house, but if someone else does, I’ll take their energy.”

Eckstom's change ultimately failed.

School Committee Chair Geoff Swett expressed concern that Wareham would see less money coming than predicted, due to fluctuations in the price of energy.

“That’s not the case. The town would be getting a percentage on whatever the net-metering rate is at the time the energy is sent into the grid,” said Richard Kleiman, Director of Solar Energy for Sage Stone LLC. “As the electric rates go up…the town would get an increased percentage,” and if the price of energy drops, Wareham will not lose money.

The proposal was approved by a majority vote.

Town Meeting will reconvene on Monday, October 29 at 7 p.m. in the Wareham High School auditorium.