MIFFLINTOWN – The Juniata County College District will both go photo voltaic, or it will not.
The clock ticks the set up of a photo voltaic power challenge, with potential rebates that lower over time.
Doug Neidich, CEO of Greenworks Improvement LLC, of Harrisburg, offered his firm’s proposal for a photo voltaic power challenge throughout the Nov. 17 college board assembly.
On the assembly, Neidich assured a $1.5 million rebate that will be obtainable if a contract was authorized inside a day or two. If the contract is authorized inside the subsequent week, the possibilities of getting the $1.5 million rebate are not possible. Each deadlines have handed.
If the choice is made after December 1, the rebate could also be within the $750,000 vary. Superintendent of Faculties Christie Holderman expects additional dialogue on the Dec. 1 board assembly.
The photo voltaic challenge, which is able to use as much as six photo voltaic arrays, will offset 115 p.c of the varsity district’s electrical energy use.
The district’s electrical energy invoice final yr was about $350,000. With PPL persevering with to boost electrical energy charges, that annual determine is predicted to rise.
“We’re the most important business solar energy developer in Pennsylvania,” Neidich identified.
GreenWorks has put in practically $250 million in photo voltaic belongings since 2010. The corporate tracks each federal, state, native and utility incentive obtainable for photo voltaic, and makes a speciality of incorporating incentives right into a challenge construction that almost all helpful for colleges and different non-profit organizations.
Neidich mentioned the district will get a full retail credit score for any electrical energy it sells again to the electrical grid, as much as a 115 p.c most.
Neidich reduce his presentation quick to reply questions from board members. He needed to debate the small print of profitable photo voltaic array installations in different college districts, together with the close by Midd-West College District. Paperwork supplied on the assembly revealed that colleges are projected to avoid wasting tens of millions of {dollars} over time by switching to photo voltaic power.
In line with the GreenWorks proposal, the Juniata County College District would lease the photo voltaic arrays from a bunch of buyers for 5 years. Starting within the sixth yr, the district might buy this system outright.
The annual service cost for the photo voltaic arrays is $400,000, payable month-to-month in 12 installments. The photo voltaic power generated every month will offset that month-to-month price.
The members wish to examine the matter additional, ensuring that the contract positioned earlier than them is the correct determination. They determined to maneuver the challenge to the subsequent voting assembly on December 1.
Their complete estimated 40-year financial savings is $18.2 million. GreenWorks additionally has important engineering work to do after the contract is signed and earlier than the rebate software is submitted.
As non-profit entities, colleges can not make the most of the 30 p.c federal tax credit score or the 85 p.c first-year depreciation obtainable for photo voltaic.
Particular objective entities are created to be comprised of buyers who can make the most of these advantages. These entities will buy, personal and preserve the system for an preliminary five-year interval. The result’s that colleges don’t have any up-front or long-term out-of-pocket funding and might save some huge cash each instantly and over the lifetime of the challenge. The largest price is the month-to-month service payment, which Neidich mentioned, is offset by the photo voltaic power generated.
A college board member requested in regards to the supply of the corporate’s photo voltaic panels.
“Our panels are from Vietnam and Malaysia,” Neidich mentioned.
“We do not use Chinese language panels. We wish to use American-made panels, however the associated fee will enhance by 30 p.c to 40 p.c.
In line with the GreenWorks proposal, places for the photo voltaic arrays can be at every of the district’s six colleges. The arrays shall be put in on the bottom or on roofs. The bottom arrays shall be used at East Juniata and Juniata excessive colleges, Tuscarora Junior Excessive and Mountainview Elementary College. East Juniata and Juniata elementary colleges have rooftop arrays.
The presentation additionally included the set up of a floor array on the former Mountainview Elementary College, which is closing in 2021. It’s now known as Hovering Heights College and offers particular training providers for college kids with autism spectrum issues or recognized wants. emotional assist providers, in line with their web site.
Neidich supplied details about GreenWorks set up initiatives for different college districts:
Tamaqua Space College District
A seven-acre ground-mounted photo voltaic array in Tamaqua, Schuylkill County, provides 100% of the district’s electrical energy.
At $0.105 per kilowatt hour from PPL, their financial savings is over $230,000 per yr over 5 years. After they purchase their system within the sixth yr, the financial savings goes to $350,000.
“Their complete estimated 40-year financial savings is sort of $15 million,” Neidich mentioned. “They usually’re locked in at $.038 per kilowatt hour for 40 years.”
Pottsville Space College District
The 170,000-square-foot roof array in Pottsville, Schuylkill County, provides 48 p.c of the district’s electrical energy.
At $0.105 per kilowatt hour from PPL, their financial savings is $70,000 per yr for 5 years. After they purchase their system within the sixth yr, the financial savings goes to $250,000.
Their complete estimated 40-year financial savings is greater than $10 million, and they’re locked in at $.066 per kilowatt hour for 40 years.
Mid-West College District
Middleburg’s seven-acre ground-mount array provides 96 p.c of the district’s electrical energy.
At $0.105 per kilowatt hour from PPL, their financial savings is $170,000 per yr for 5 years. After they purchase their system within the sixth yr, the financial savings goes to $350,000.
Their complete estimated 40-year financial savings is greater than $15 million, and they’re locked in at $.039 per kilowatt hour for 40 years.
Central Columbia College District
The ten-acre array in Bloomsburg, Columbia County will present 90 p.c of the district’s electrical energy. In line with the presentation, the set up is scheduled to be accomplished in December. Other than the rooftop solar energy techniques at the highschool, it additionally contains floor solar energy arrays between the highschool, center college, and elementary college.
At $0.105 per kilowatt hour from PPL, their financial savings is $350,000 per yr for 5 years. After they purchase their system within the sixth yr, the financial savings goes to $500,000.
Their complete estimated 40-year financial savings is greater than $20 million, they usually’re locked in at $.024 per kilowatt hour for 40 years.
