Wisconsin Heights looking to grants to help pay for solar array

The Wisconsin Heights School District is seeking state and federal grants to fund a $1.1 million solar facility, but it could be built without the financial help, District Administrator Jordan Sinz said. The 415- kilowatt solar array has been in the works for a few years and this past week the school district applied for a $250,000 state Energy Innovation Grant. Sinz said expects the Public Service Commission to announce the competitive grant recipients this spring. A federal payback program would refund 30% to 40% of the project’s cost, making the solar facility even more attainable. However, the project is going forward regardless of the district’s success with outside funding, Sinz said. “Any funding we can get would free up money to use on student learning or help meeting rising operational costs,” he said   There’s no specific plan for spending the expected nearly $50,000 in annual energy savings but inflation, increasing staff salaries are likely options, Sinz said. Five years ago, the district began adding to its capital project fund and now can fully pay for the solar project, he said.  “The school board feels really strongly about the [solar] concept and is supportive of the environmental and educational opportunities that can come with it. Not only does it offer financial benefits from reduced energy use but it can be part of our curriculum, too,” Sinz said. The solar project is sized to generate 38% of the district’s energy needs, which Sinz said is “the sweet spot” for an investment in solar facilities. “We could have gone bigger but the rates you get for putting electricity back on the grid versus what you pay for power makes this the right size for us, according to Full Spectrum, our consultants,” he said. Full Spectrum estimates that the solar array would have about an eight-year payback period, which is nice since most investments the school district makes offers no payback at all, Sinz said. The solar project is scheduled to be built in July on undeveloped property north of the athletic fields along Highway 14. It’s expected to go online in November or sooner. That is close enough to the district campus for a walking field trip for students to see and understand how an active solar installation works and benefits the environment.  “We can incorporate that into our curriculum at all levels including math and science classes, Sinz said. The district will still rely on the Black Earth Electric Utility for at least 60 percent of its power and solar generates more electricity during summer months when school is going full tilt.  The power the district generates but doesn’t need goes back on the grid sold to Black Earth and Alliant Energy at wholesale rates. Approvals for those transactions are pending with the PSC. Black Earth’s Village President, Mitch Hodson, acknowledged that the school district’s solar installation is likely to reduce the amount of power it buys from the utility, and the more power the utility sells, the longer it can wait to raise rates. “We understand why they’re doing it and that they’re striving to produce 38% of their power but, we won’t know the true impact on the utility until it goes into operation,’ he said. Whether Wisconsin Heights’ solar installation speeds up the need for higher rates depends on what else happens in the Black Earth utility’s service area. Regardless, the PSC has the utility come in for a rate review every two years which is an opportunity to adjust rates. The electric utility just received authority to rise rates by 3.07% or, $3 a month for average residential customers, which will go into effect on Feb. 1, Hodson said.