O'Fallon Township High School District 203 heard a preliminary plan for on-site solar and building-automation upgrades at a board meeting when representatives from Schneider Electric presented site arrays, contract options and estimated savings.

The presentation, led by Schneider program manager Ken Velchock, compared a system purchase — in which the district would own solar arrays — with a power-purchase agreement (PPA), in which a third party leases roof or land and sells electricity back to the district at a fixed kilowatt-hour rate. "The system purchase is really actually purchasing that system for you to generate all that energy on-site and then utilize it to spin back your meter," Velchock said during the presentation. He also described a separate recommissioning of Millburn's building-automation system that Schneider estimates could yield roughly $26,000 in annual energy savings.

Why it matters: The district is updating its long-range facilities plan and assessing capital reinvestment priorities. Solar arrays and better HVAC automation can reduce long-term operating costs, free budget capacity for other projects and align with district sustainability goals. Board members and staff asked about maintenance costs, inverter lifespan and incentive stability; Schneider said typical panels last about 30 years and inverters generally need replacement at about 15 years and that maintenance costs are usually modest and can be folded into lifecycle pricing.

Key details: Schneider showed three preliminary arrays — ground-mounted at Milburn, a Smiley roof array and a Smiley carport — with rough cost and savings ranges. The firm said it can support either an outright system purchase or a PPA and that final line-item pricing would come later in design. Velchock cautioned that federal tax incentives were under legislative review and that their availability could change; he said the majority of the project value in the firm's analysis relies on the Illinois sustainable renewable energy credit (SREC) program administered by the Illinois Power Agency, which he said is not at immediate risk. Velchock said Schneider can help the district navigate options and financing and that the company guarantees savings in certain performance-contracting engagements.

On guaranteed savings, Velchock cited the state energy performance contracting statute, noting: "50 ILCS 5 15 is the legislation that we work under for energy performance contracting. If we go to contract and say, hey, you are going to save $26,000 a year and you only save $22,000 a year, we owe you a check for $4,000." Schneider presented a high-level Millburn automation package that it estimated would yield about $26,000 a year and a roughly $700,000 20-year savings figure in its preliminary analysis, and said the firm could contractually guarantee those savings.

Board questions focused on operations and community benefit. Directors asked whether the district could combine ownership at one campus with a PPA at another to increase overall local production; Schneider said a blended approach is possible and that the district could purchase arrays later if desired. The company also discussed end-of-contract options for PPAs: purchase, renew/replace equipment, or deconstruct the system and restore property.

Next steps: Schneider offered to provide more detailed design and line-item pricing if the district elects to move forward with a formal design agreement. District staff noted LED lighting and other low-cost efficiency improvements already planned for the summer may change the final solar-sizing calculus and that any project would be evaluated against competing capital needs in the long-range facilities plan.

Ending: The presentation was informational; board members asked for follow-up materials and additional cost-detailing before any authorization or procurement. Schneider and district staff agreed to continue technical and financial analysis.