As the district works through bond maintenance projects, staff are identifying opportunities to install the technology, said Jason Hughes, executive director of facilities. The district could see a return on the investment within 10 years and reap up to $500,000 in additional energy cost savings by year 20 after the solar panels are installed.
Trustees reviewed the project at the Jan. 7 board workshop.
The details
Solar panels require a large surface area for the greatest efficiency making flat roofs ideal installation spots. The best time to install the panels is when the roof itself is being installed or renewed, Hughes said.
Staff identified Downing Middle School as the ideal location for this project due to maintenance scheduled for summer that will include roof resurfacing. The school also has high electricity rates, Hughes said.
“Solar panels are a 20 year project and you don’t want to have to remove the panels to repair the roof,” he said.
The district has solar panels and a wind turbine at the Lewisville ISD Outdoor Learning Area, but they are used for educational purposes only. The middle school solar panels would be the first solar project that would be used to offset campus electrical consumption, Hughes said.
Installation of the panels is expected to cost up to $800,000, Hughes said. However, schools employing renewable energy technologies are eligible for federal tax credit through the Inflation Reduction Act. Hughes said the district expects to receive around a $280,000 rebate for undertaking the solar panel project bringing the cost down to around $500,000.
The impact
Hughes estimates the panels to reduce Downing Middle School’s energy usage by around 49% which is estimated to save around $50,000 a year, a 35% reduction in electricity costs for the school, which ranges between $136,000 to $144,000 annually.
In addition to cost savings the solar panels have environmental benefits, Hughes said. Using the solar panels over the next 20 years would be equivalent to removing 8,342 tons of carbon, reducing miles driven by cars by 18 million or planting 125,099 trees, according to a graphic shown to trustees.
“Solar panels are rated beyond 20 years and because they are over the roof we feel like we can get more out of the roof and that they would age together and the district could continue to see savings,” he said.
Also of note
The solar panel installation could be funded through either bond savings from under-budget projects or through land sale proceeds, said Randy Fite, executive director of construction. Staff will bring the item back for board approval in February.
Moving forward, Fite said that staff will evaluate other schools that could be ideal for possible solar panel installation.
Outside the energy savings the solar panels could provide additional education opportunities for students, especially considering Downing’s status as a STEM Academy, Trustee Stacie Barker said. Including panels on the building’s interior where students could monitor data and perform calculations could have further the benefits for the district.
However, Trustee Buddy Bonner advocated that staff wait on the project until the district’s financial situation is less precarious. Downing Middle School was on the initial closure list and the district does not want to spend money on school projects only to close the campus in the near future.
