Mount Vernon will be looking at potentially exploring solar projects for two additional buildings.
Mount Vernon city administrator Chris Nosbisch was looking for clarification as to what next projects could look like for the city, as the savings for the city to explore at the Mount Vernon-Lisbon Police Department and Lester Buresh Family Community Wellness Center could generate more than $1 million over the life of the solar panels.
One thing Nosbisch was looking at was utilizing something that looks more like a sun shade at the Buresh Center to keep any designed facility from looking like solar farms and help to provide shade to cars parked at the building.
Mount Vernon city council member Debra Herrmann asked if the council were to forego some of the repairs to the police station, would a sun shade option provide adequate protection for cars for the department if they went with that option there as well.
Mount Vernon-Lisbon police chief Doug Shannon said the issue for the department is the gear that sits in some of the cars which needs to have better protection from the elements during the winter and why the temperature-controlled garage is needed.
“Cold temperatures sap the energy out of things like AEDs, laptops and other items stored in vehicles,” Shannon said.
Because the city would be exploring a purchase power agreement with Red Lion, they would pay the upfront costs and maintenance on any solar panels. The panels would generate electricity used by both facilities, which would reduce the electricity borrowed from Alliant Energy.
Red Lion did not put together a proposal for either facility in the first year, because they didn’t yet know the energy costs for the two buildings. With a year of operations, Red Lion could project cost savings for both buildings.