SLEEPY EYE — Action items on the May 11 Sleepy Eye School Board agenda include a solar array purchase, facility lease and power purchase agreements, funded by a state Solar for Schools grant.

Last month, Sleepy Eye Superintendent John Cselovszki told the board the school district was awarded two Solar for School grants he said could reduce electrical rates by about 20% if the rooftop solar projects are approved.

“When I see $5 diesel (fuel) now, I think anything we can do to reduce energy costs is valuable. I’m excited to be a part of this,” Cselovszki said.

The Solar for Schools Grant Program was established by the State Legislature in 2021 to stimulate installation of solar energy systems on Minnesota Public K-12 schools, state colleges and universities.

Sleepy Eye’s solar project applications are being studied by Ideal Energies Inc. of Minneapolis after a visit to the school to obtain information needed to determine feasibility of designing and installing a solar projects on top of the high school and elementary school buildings.

If approved, Ideal will submit a full grant application and interconnection agreements to utilities companies. Ideal would then build the projects on top of the school this summer or early fall.

The grants will cover up to 95% of project costs to schools, based on financial need. Besides saving energy costs, the projects offer students hands-on learning about solar power and renewable energy technology.

Cselovszki said the the solar projects are estimated to save the school district $7,579 per year in energy costs.

“They will sell the (solar) energy and we’ll get 20% of that back,” Cselovszki said.

He added the total life cycle (20-year) system cost is $227,978. Installation costs are $174,640; maintenance costs $34,665 and total energy value $315,840 after 20 years.

“We’ll own the solar systems after 20 years. At that time, we can pay to have it recycled or keep it,” said Cselovszki.

The process includes Ideal Energies helping monitor electrical usage and production and dispatching field service if needed.

The Minnesota Commerce Department reported demand for Solar for Schools exceeded available funds. The Department of Commerce received 122 applications for $11.8 million in grant requests, $4.6 million over the $7.2 million program budget.

Other schools on track for the first round of funding include Fairmont, Marshall, Redwood Area, St. James, St. Peter and Windom.

The board meeting begins at 5:30 p.m. in the school conference room.

(Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.)