Rising electricity costs are fueling the drive for Guilderland to install solar panels across a number of town facilities and take advantage of grant opportunities before funds dry up.
Solomon Energy Inc. on Tuesday, Jan. 7, presented the Guilderland Town Board with preliminary recommendations on installing a photovoltaic system across town-owned buildings, with the possibility of 11 potential sites generating up to 11.36 million kilowatt-hours. Most locations would be on building roofs, but the largest proposed site would be a ground mount at the town transfer station, generating almost 7.7 million kilowatt-hours. Solomon Energy projected a full build out could save the town nearly $1.5 million over 25 years, with annual savings starting at $21,600 and increasing to $111,315.
Town Supervisor Ken Runion said when local officials were recently looking into electricity and natural gas costs, there were discussions about looking into solar energy to offset expenses. The energy advising company is also looking at energy efficiency measures that could be taken in the town.
“We are going to be looking at some additional savings through changing out light fixtures and things like that. We have done some of that throughout the town, but we have more to do in that area,” Runion said. “Solar is the up and coming thing. … I think it is where we are moving in the future.”
Jeff Conrad, executive vice president of Solomon Energy, said during the past two months the company investigated solar options for the town. Annually, electricity costs for the town are around $500,000 paying at the rate of $0.118 per kilowatt-hour.
“We have taken a look at all the different locations around town to see what the potential for solar installation might be,” Conrad said. “There is definitely a major savings that can be shown by installing solar as well as it provides sustainability.”
The proposed locations and installation type, along system size, include the Town Hall roof (50 kW), Department of Public Works building roof (318 kW), landfill/transfer station ground mount (6,400 kW) and roof (65 kW), water district building roof (273 kW) and carport (558 kW), two roof installations on park and recreation buildings (totaling 33 kW) and a ground mount (652 kW), and on a roof (151 kW) and carport (969 kW) at the town golf course.
Conrad pointed out there could be some aesthetic concerns about installing ground mounted solar panels at Tawasentha Park.
Transitioning to solar power would essentially cost the town nothing, Conrad said, because local officials would sign a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with a company to provide the solar energy and maintain the system, with the provider also paying to install the system. Consulting fees from Solomon Energy tied to the project, including work done to date, would be charged to the winning bidder for the project.
Rebates for installing solar are continually declining, Conrad said, so the longer the town waits, the less money the company installing the panels will get back. How much is paid to install the system will affect what the town is charged for energy.
The Town Board is expected to announce its decision on contracting with Solomon Energy for solar energy consulting services at its next meeting Tuesday, Jan. 21.