Solar Panel Proposal Makes Halting Progress

A plan to install solar panels on the roofs of Darien High School and Ox Ridge Elementary School has inched closer to reality in recent weeks, even as questions of efficiency, cost incentives, and town sign-off loom large.

The project, led by Darien Public Schools Director of Finance Richard Huot and Director of Facilities and Construction Paul Engemann, calls for the placement of photovoltaic cells on top of the front building at Ox Ridge and on the south side of the barrel-vaulted DHS gymnasium roof.

A similar venture was considered by the district in 2009 but ultimately abandoned over concerns about upfront expenses.

Now, under a proposal pitched by Huot at the Board of Education's June 8 meeting, installation would be performed by Glastonbury-based Power Point Energy and require no investment by the school system. Once in place, the panels' output would be metered and sold back to DPS at a discount, thereby reducing the amount of energy the district would have to purchase from its current providers.

The low cost of transmission involved in a solar panel setup makes such arrangements attractive to firms like PPE, which recoup the cost of panels via markup.

Initial projections furnished by Huot, which he described as "conservative," show $7700 in energy savings in the first year up to $9500 annually at the quarter-century mark. The smaller installation at DHS—estimated to yield about 48 kWh per year—would contribute roughly 46% of that total, while the larger, 69 kWh setup at Ox Ridge would account for the lion's share.

"Obviously the interest here is not a tremendous payback to the board, but in fact has been a tremendous interest in green energy," Huot said at the June 8 meeting.

After Huot's initial presentation, the project seemed likely to head to the Architectural Review Board July 20 and to the Planning and Zoning Commission by September. Though the front building at Ox Ridge is obscured from view, the roof of the DHS gymnasium is visible from numerous nearby houses, meaning neighbors would have to be notified by letter before approval.

But just two weeks later, Huot revised his recommendation, saying that further discussions with a solar energy expert led him to reconsider the timing and pricing plan of the plan.

"He [the expert] felt because of the recent government funding for energy projects, that the next 12 to 18 months, we'd probably see two things happen," Huot told the board Tuesday. "One is a major improvement in the efficiency of the technology ... and secondly, a different method of funding for public entities."

Holding out until the technology improves, Huot explained, could lead to significant savings over the long run. And while existing renewable energy incentives are generally not available to municipalities—which pay no taxes—that's likely to change soon, he said.

The upcoming renegotiation of the district's energy contracts could also provide an opportunity to set a lower flat rate, Huot told the board, which would in turn impact the discounted rate.

"That could give us a little better return than we'd get right now," Huot said. The system is currently about 6 months into 18 month contracts with Connecticut Light & Power for transmission and Direct Energy for generation.

Given those ambiguities, Huot recommended that the board not take any action Tuesday but that he continue to send the basic contours of the plan through the P&Z process. Once the structural elements were approved, the Board of Education could come back to sign off on the final technology and pricing, he said.

That strategy drew questions from board members, who asked if the plan could be considered by either ARB or the P&Z commission without the final figures. Huot responded that the elements relevant to P&Z would not change, regardless of what energy rate or type of panel was ultimately decided on.

"It's not changing the roofline. You certainly don't need additional Planning & Zoning approval if the appearance doesn't change," Huot said.

After a bit of back and forth, the board chose not to take official action but gave instructions to Huot to begin contacting neighbors.

"It seems to me perhaps it's worth a mailing to neighbors first, and if we get put off to the Architectural Review Board in August or September, it's not the end of the world," Board of Education Chairperson Kim Westcott said.

Huot agreed, calling the plan a "moot point" if members of the community were opposed to the impact of the panels.

"I think we're doing this because it's green. We have roofs that are conducive to this kind of application," Huot said. "[But] if they're against it, I think we've got other things that are more important to fight for."