McHenry County College to install solar field

A new solar field at McHenry County College is expected to provide 27 percent of the institution's energy use when its fully installed next fall.

The project is expected to save $34,353 in its first year of operation, falling in line with the college's initiative to reduce its environmental footprint and lower costs, college President Clint Gabbard said. The board of trustees recently approved a fixed-rate, 25-year contract with Chicago-based ENGIE to build the 875-kilowatt solar field on the Crystal Lake campus.

"The board is committed to supporting the college's ongoing culture of sustainability," board Chairman Mike Smith said in a statement. "This initiative will touch all three initiatives of green campus, green curriculum and green community."

The college for years has been exploring approaches to solar energy, including roof or ground-mounted panels, Gabbard said in a board report last month. Officials then decided to dedicate a parcel of unused land to a solar array and sought proposals for a purchase power agreement, he said.

Of the 19 proposals submitted to McHenry County College, ENGIE's was projected to yield the greatest cost savings, records show.

The agreement doesn't have any upfront expenses, Gabbard said, though additional costs could include meter changes completed by ComEd or some tree removal if necessary.

The solar field will be constructed next summer on 3.4 acres just south of the baseball field. The amount of electricity produced by the array is dependent on the amount of sunlight.

Officials expect annual cost savings to be similar to first-year projections over the subsequent five years. The electricity rates currently paid by the college are not expected to decline.

"When this savings is extrapolated over a 25-year term, the savings will be very impactful," Gabbard said in the report.