Elida School District may be the first in the area to use solar energy to power its schools.
On Monday night the Elida board passed a resolution to move forward with the project to install two solar array units outside their middle school and high school and to go into a power purchase agreement with Entrust LLC.
The project will include converting more than 3,000 led light fixtures at the middle school, high school, bus garage, administration building, and athletic complex and replacing the boilers inside the middle school. The Elida Superintendent said he looks forward to the project as it will help taxpayers save money.
“We’re trying to do the best we can to be fiscally responsible to our district taxpayers and this has given us a great avenue that we can save the taxpayers about a million dollars in upgrades to the district and to our buildings and also saving another $500,000 plus over a ten year period,” said Joel Mengerink, Elida Local Schools superintendent.
The Entrust business director says the company takes pride in helping its customers save money while providing the best products and services.
“The cost of operating a school district goes up- salaries, utility costs and if we can take one aspect of that and hold it steady or reduce their costs I think we are doing a good job,” said Jeff Feasby, Entrust business development director.
Once the contract is finalized the project is expected to begin in early June and should be completed by the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year.
