Solar panels at Grayslake high schools get tentative village OK
Plans to install solar panels at Grayslake's two high schools to help provide lower-cost power have received a tentative thumbs-up from the village board.
Formal approval might be considered as soon as the board's meeting on Tuesday, July 5, for special-use permits that would allow construction of the panels on the rooftops of Grayslake Central and North. Trustees also must formally approve a special-use permit for ground-mounted solar panels at North.
"These are the biggest rooftops in Grayslake, so it's good to see them being put to use," Trustee Bruce Bassett said. He was one of five trustees to give the proposal tentative approval at a meeting last week.
Grayslake High School District 127 would borrow $5.9 million for the project through a bond sale, officials said.
The solar panels are expected to cut energy costs and potentially become a revenue source, starting with the 2016-17 academic year in August.
Performance Services, which has a Schaumburg office, would install 1,920 solar panels on most of Grayslake Central's roof. Plans call for 2,245 solar panels on nearly all of Grayslake North's roof and 4,590 panels mounted on the ground on a vacant 25 acres at the school.
District 127 Associate Superintendent Michael Zelek said the solar panels are designed to withstand winds of up to 120 mph.
Village Trustee Shawn Vogel noted projections show Grayslake Central might save $2.1 million in energy costs and Grayslake North $7.5 million over 25 years. He asked Zelek if the savings might lead to reduced property taxes or whether the school board has ideas on how to use the money.
Zelek responded it's "too soon" to specify what'll happen with the extra cash until the $5.9 million project is paid off.
"Any revenue source that we gain, we want to pay down the loan to pay off the solar panels early so we can actually generate - no pun intended - additional cash flow," Zelek said.
Mayor Rhett Taylor said, based on the documents he's seen for the proposal, it appears unlikely the solar panels would be visible to residents near either high school.
District 127 officials said solar renewable energy credits are expected to become an income source as part of a tentative deal with Performance Services. Projections show the district could gain a maximum of about $8.5 million over 25 years by selling excess credits.