Installation of solar panels on Highland schools projects millions in savings to district

Highland schools will soon be going solar, with district leaders’ hopes that in the long run it could save millions in power costs.

The Highland District 5 school board voted to issue $5.7 million in debt certificates to allow GRP Inc. to put solar panels on all school buildings except the primary school.

Superintendent Mike Sutton said that the savings in the district’s electrical bills are estimated to pay off the debt completely within nine years, without any impact to the district’s budget plus tax incentives and rebates.

“When we looked at being able to put solar on each building with a pay-back in less than 10 years, we’d be looking at more than $2 million in savings after paying them off,” Sutton said.

While financial savings are the primary goal, Sutton said it’s obviously an environmentally friendly move as well.

The solar panels at Alhambra, Grantfork and Highland Middle schools will be on ground mounts, while the rest will be on the building roofs. The primary school isn’t included in the project because it will be torn down in the near future, and the new primary school can’t be included yet because the district doesn’t know precisely what its entry use will be. Sutton said they have to see it operate for a couple of years before they can determine the most efficient solar system for it.

It’s a little different to manage a solar program in Highland than in most cities, because Highland’s electrical service is managed by the city.

Sutton said when dealing with Ameren, if a solar system produces more energy than the building needs, Ameren will buy it back. But Highland doesn’t have that program, so they designed the schools’ solar program to provide just enough energy for the buildings without excess.

“They are sized just right to reach our maximum payback,” Sutton said.

The solar systems will go up in about 2-3 months, Sutton said. Meanwhile, the construction program funded by the recent referendum is on its way. The Highland Primary School project will be 88,896 square feet and is estimated at $6.3 million, set to break ground this month. The addition on the middle school is “in full swing,” Sutton said, with foundation work underway.

“The only work not seeing action yet is the renovations at the elementary school, as that’s still in design,” Sutton said.

The estimated cost of the renovation project is approximately $42 million with additional funds from interest revenue and other sources, including local funds. As the solar project is expected to be self-funded, it is not part of the major renovation program.

This story was originally published August 9, 2023 at 7:00 AM.