by Austin Marsman
As the Martin public school system progresses with its historic bond construction, green upgrades are taking center stage.
The Board of Education decided July 17 to approve a solar project, pending a final approval of the lease-to-purchase agreement between the district and Verde Solutions of Chicago. This means the district will swap its current electric bill for a monthly lease payment on the solar panels.
The total electric bill was about $30,500 annually and the new monthly payment will be about $2,800 for 15 years or $33,300 annually. With the 5 percent annual increase in electric costs, the power bill will exceed lease payments in the third year.
The monumental effort is being led by Zach Henderson, a 2004 Martin High School graduate. Henderson is regional vice president of Superior Renewable Solutions and has been working closely with Superintendent David Harnish on the project.
Contractors will install the first phase of an ambitious Solar Project next month. This phase alone will generate 187,000-kilowatt hours per year.
Construction of a new auditorium and varsity gymnasium are holding off phases two and three, which will combine rooftop solar panels and ground-level solar arrays. In the end, Martin Public Schools hopes to generate 99 percent of it energy needs.
The district is close to completing the switch to LED light bulbs and estimates the upgrade will save $24,000 per year. Harnish, in a recent community newsletter, said the project will “reduce our carbon footprint by 243,000-kilowatt hours, or 5,000 tons of CO2.” He also went on to say that “it is good for our school and community.”
Martin Public Schools serves more than 600 students and their families. F or more information about the entire bond project visit martinpublicschools.org or the Facebook Page “Martin Public Schools Bond 2016.”
PHOTO: An aerial view of the Martin campus during bond construction (supplied)
Wait, what? The cost of electricity is $30,500 / year and the savings of switching (from likely fluorescent) to LED bulbs will save them $24,000 / year? Since the price per year of replacing a fluorescent versus an LED must be very close (LED’s last longer but cost more to purchase) than all that savings must be in electricity. So that means their electric bill will go down more? Has that been figured into the lease calculations? What is the average useful lifespan of the solar operation and what will the replacement cost 15 years from now?
Mr. Mike,
Don’t you understand…. it doesn’t matter what the cost or the other things associated with solar panels, they are saving the planet, you numbskull!
Not really, but it makes them feel better about themselves. I’m all for saving money and not wasting electricity or any type of energy, but solar and wind power are not efficient nor effective – just provide a tiny portion of overall power needed for the school system. But they can fill in the blanks when asked about being “green”! It’s all about feeling good about your efforts, doncha know!
With the great, overwhelming amount of natural gas and the efficiency it provides we have in this country, we shouldn’t be worrying about other high cost, inefficient and overall ineffective sources of overpriced power. Forget CO2 emissions, the earth has had much more CO2 in it’s history and has survived just fine. The Earth is in control, not us mere humans and nothing we can do will eliminate the effects of the earth spewing CO2 into the atmosphere. Scientists continue to play God and don’t realize and/or ignore the earth is a living organism constantly changing and evolving.
LED savings are calculated including labor savings of lamp replacement and fewer ballasts.
Consumers Power has been promoting LED for almost 5 years because they know they will be losing coal fired plants.
Another plus of solar is in high demand months of June/July/August the district bills should be zero since they should be sending excess power into the grid since few buildings will need AC like they would when school is in session.