Solar panels could be coming to the roof of Riverside Brookfield High School.
The RBHS District 208 school board and administration are exploring whether to purchase and install solar panels. The school hired a solar consulting firm to advise it on solar alternatives, and is expected to hire a construction manager or owners representative later in January to provide further advice and expertise on the feasibility of installing solar panels on the roof at RBHS.
At a meeting last month, the RBHS school board meeting consultants from Nania, a Warrenville-based energy consulting firm, presented a 16-page report to the school board. The consultants presented three options — a minimum scope option, a medium scope option and a maximum scope option. School officials seemed most interested in the medium scope proposal.
The cost of the medium scope proposal to install solar panels on the roof would be nearly $1.2 million, but a significant portion of that cost would be recouped by federal, state and ComEd grants and incentives. The consultants predicted that RBHS would qualify for $449,552 in year-one incentives from the federal government and ComEd that would bring the net first-year cost of installing solar panels down to $749,611. The consultants said that RBHS could also qualify for state incentives of $550,156 over seven years.
The medium scope option is projected to produce 674,349 kilowatt hours of electricity annually, which would offset 18% of the school’s energy use and save the school an estimated $54,285 in its first year of operation. The school’s initial investment would be recouped in about five years and the school is projected to save more than $1.3 million over 25 years in reduced energy costs.
RBHS officials said that they would also use a $50,000 state school-maintenance matching grant to help pay for the installation of solar panels.
“The numbers make sense,” said Superintendent Kevin Skinkis. “I think it makes sense financially.”
But Skinkis said he was not yet ready to recommend installing solar panels. Before doing that, Skinkis recommended, and the school board agreed, hiring a construction manager to make sure the roof and school can handle solar panels and associated mechanicals. Skinkis said that it makes sense to hire an independent advisor focused on the mechanical capability of the school building.
“We need to do some homework,” Skinkis said. “We need to some more research.”
At its Jan 16 meeting, the school board is expected to hire the Mount Prospect-based firm of Nicholas to advise it on the feasibility of solar at RB. In 2014, the school used Nicholas to manage the construction of its new football stadium and has used the firm since then to manage the modernization of the main gym, the construction of the new parking lot, and to oversee roof work.
School board member Laura Hruska suggested that a school board member and school officials visit some schools where solar panels have been installed to see how they are working out in practice.
“Another pair of different eyes and questions,” Hruska said.
Approximately 20 school districts in Illinois are using solar generated electricity and more are considering it.