Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Energy And Climate topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
High-school senior urges Maplewood to enroll in Show Me PACE to expand solar on apartment buildings
Summary
A Maplewood Richmond Heights High School senior presented a capstone proposing the city sign up for Show Me PACE financing so apartment owners can install solar; council members raised feasibility questions about net-metering and battery storage.
Trey Maxwell, a senior at Maplewood Richmond Heights High School, presented a capstone project to the Maplewood City Council on Jan. 28 and recommended the city sign up for the Show Me PACE (Property Assessed Clean Energy) program to expand solar installations on local apartment buildings.
Maxwell said Show Me PACE provides financing for renewable-energy and energy-efficiency improvements and that municipalities must enroll to make the funding available locally. "I propose that the city council accepts this funding and signs up for it through the Show Me PACE website," Maxwell said, arguing the program could support solar panels on apartment rooftops to reduce energy costs for owners and tenants.
Council members and staff questioned practical barriers. One speaker noted that Ameren’s net-metering or buyback programs for solar energy are changing and that the economics increasingly require battery storage; the same speaker said flat apartment roofs and panel orientation can limit effective installations. Maxwell and others acknowledged those constraints but said the program merits exploration.
Maplewood has previously participated in sustainability efforts such as no-mow April and had been an EPA-recognized green power community in past years, Maxwell noted. The council thanked Maxwell for the presentation and suggested staff follow up on program details, including costs and eligibility.
