New Palestine council member Clint Bledsoe says he’s hesitant to support solar energy.
NEW PALESTINE — There would be no increase in spending, only a guaranteed amount in savings if officials in New Palestine decide to add solar power to coincide with their electric source, an official from Veregy told the town’s council.
Veregy’s Rick Anderson spoke to the council for a second time during a council meeting earlier this month on an energy saving project he’d like to see the town do with his company. The company brought the idea to town officials after conducting a utility assessment of the town’s electric use.
“Any money involved here, you’re already spending the money, so what we’re trying to do is help you spend it more efficiently,” Anderson said.
After looking at the town’s energy uses, officials with Veregy say town officials could save hundreds of thousands of dollars if they add solar power at town hall and the wastewater facility.
The study also recommended town officials add LED lights and change out older light fixtures whereever possible, as soon as possible, including making changes on the street lights along Main Street.
“That would really be a nice energy saver for you,” Anderson said.
The company said they’d also be willing to work with town officials on their fleet cars to help them find ones that are more energy efficient. The project could include, if town officials so desire, some electric charging stations throughout town.
However, the biggest focus of the presentation was on adding solar power at the town’s wastewater treatment plant where officials could save some 40% on electric costs and at town hall where they could off set a potential of 33% of electric use, Anderson said.
The project would cost the town an estimated $725,000 to install, which includes a maintenance fee of a couple of thousand dollars per year if they decide to add solar.
“These projects are really simple,” Anderson said. “This really is kind of a nice economic development tool as well.”
The best part about the proposal, Anderson said, is the company guarantees the savings. If the town doesn’t save the projected estimates, the company would then write the town a check to make up for any difference.
“I’m guaranteeing the savings,” Anderson said.
Council president Bill Niemier said he feels the town should continue to look into adding solar energy as part of their energy supplier due to the savings projected. Niemier noted if the town does decide to do this type of project, they’d have to put out bids due to the size and scope of the work.
Council member Clint Bledsoe said he doesn’t have faith in the guarantee of savings and noted his personal electric bill has doubled, showing how difficult it is to project future billing.
“So you’re guaranteeing we’re going to save $200,000? I’ve got serious doubts about that,” Bledsoe said. “All the projections I’ve seen lately are not worth the paper they are written on.”
Bledsoe wondered aloud what would happen if the company went out of business in two years. Anderson stated the company is doing about $500 million worth of work in 10 different states and is a viable company and is not going out of business in the foreseeable future.
“What we’re trying to do is help you guys get ahead,” Anderson said. “This is a great little project for you.”
Town officials say they plan to reach out to other towns in the state who have used the company to install the same types of projects before they make any kind of official determination. They also plan to ask several more questions and investigate other alternatives before they consider voting on the Veregy option.
Veregy is an Energy Service Provider and Energy Services Company which provides turnkey engineering and construction management services.
Any type of change would be considered a guaranteed project through the state, Anderson said. A Guaranteed Energy Savings Contract (GESC) is an agreement between a qualified provider and a building owner to reduce the energy and operating costs of a building or a group of buildings by a specified amount.
