The Greene County School Board is moving forward with a major project to ultimately reduce its overall energy costs.

The School Board approved at its April meeting an engagement letter with Piper Sandler to be the consultants for financing a solar panel project. Superintendent Brett Abbotts says district-wide about $500,000 is spent on heating and cooling and electrical each year. He points out that all studies and data shows that the district’s energy costs would be dramatically reduced if the district switches to solar energy. 

Abbotts notes that the project will be paid for by borrowing against future Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) funds not to exceed $5 million.

“We’re borrowing on the potential that we have based on our district’s property tax valuation, based on the estimates that we are going to receive from our current levy rate, and then basically what does the district have the ability to afford and pay back within a ten year window.”  

Abbotts says another part they are working on is with OPN Architects and Modus Engineering to create a request for a quote and a request for proposals for a construction manager at risk, who will oversee the solar project.

“Going through the construction manager at risk is one that we were heavily guided on by our legal counsel and there’s also additional tax credits that we can receive, they would come to the school but we pass them out to that construction manager to again, reduce our cost even more.”  

Abbotts adds once a construction manager is selected, the School Board will go through the process of bids for design and construction of the solar panels. He says the district will continue to pay for certain projects and upgrades when necessary from PPEL as well.