Schools
Salisbury School Board Rejects Solar Panels
Salisbury Township School Board decides project doesn't offer enough savings
Solar power won’t be coming to the Salisbury Township School District anytime soon.
School board members decided Monday at their monthly operations committee meeting to dismiss a proposal to add solar panels to the roofs of and , and some panels on the grounds of the middle school as well. The panels could potentially generate up to 600 kWh of power for those buildings, at a capital cost of $1 million per 200 kWh.
The proposal, presented by the district’s engineer, Arif Fazil of D’Huy Engineering, could have saved the district $7,200 or more annually on electricity costs. It also involved a 20-year commitment under the power purchasing agreement he recommended.
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Fazil said the agreement would cost the district little up front but would have uncertain savings beyond a guaranteed 10 percent savings on whatever the going rate for electricity is at the time, plus however much the solar power reduced the district’s peak load contribution.
As part of the agreement, which other districts have entered into successfully in recent years, investors would pay for the cost of the design and installation of solar panels and would qualify for a 30 percent tax credit on the cost of the project. They would also get the grant money to pay for the project, Fazil said.
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If the district installed solar panels on its own, it would not be eligible for the tax credit, making it unappealing for the district to take on the capital project without the power purchasing agreement, he noted. The agreement also reduces the district's risk if something goes wrong with the panels.
Superintendent Robert Gross III said he was concerned with the timeline for grant applications, which are due at the end of the month, and the $1.3 million roof replacement that Truman will need within five years.
“There’s the fly in the ointment,” Gross said.
Board Vice President Keith Reinsmith said he would rather wait until after Truman’s roof is replaced to start such a project.
“Down the road these systems are going to get more efficient,” Reinsmith said. “It’s an interesting option, but I think we’re going to have to pass for now.”