Marshall school district solar arrays provided about 8% of district energy in 2024, presenter says

At the Marshall Public School District board meeting, Mark Anthony of Marshfield Municipal Utilities presented a performance update on the district’s five-site solar installation, reporting that the arrays produced 329,235 kilowatt-hours of electricity in calendar year 2024 — about 95% of the original projection — and supplied a little over 8% of the district’s total energy use for the year.

The presentation traced the project’s history: the district applied in 2021 for a Solar for Schools grant and received funding to install systems at five facilities. Installations at four sites were completed in 2022 and the CTE center in 2023. The total project cost for the five systems was reported as being covered 85% by the Minnesota Solar for Schools grant (the grant figure presented was $497,135), leaving a net cost to the district of $87,760. The district owns and maintains the solar equipment; Marshfield Municipal Utilities provided metering and installation oversight but does not own the arrays.

Anthony provided production and load graphs, noting that the high school is the largest energy user and that some smaller sites — notably the CTE center — occasionally generate more energy than they consume. He said an initial projection from the developer had shown a net positive cash flow by year four under certain assumptions; actual guaranteed annual savings calculated from metered production were reported at $11,410.89, while the developer’s earlier projection was approximately $24,784 in annual savings. Anthony said the project still shows a positive cash flow in about seven years when using guaranteed (metered) savings and that savings should grow as utility rates rise. He also noted a projected 30-year equipment life for the arrays.

On the value beyond direct savings, Anthony highlighted that the grant made the project viable and that the arrays provide educational opportunities for students. "The equipment is performing as expected," Anthony said.

Board members did not take a formal vote on the presentation. No formal changes to district policy or budget were adopted during the presentation; board discussion and questions were limited to clarification of the numbers and ownership/maintenance responsibilities.

The district will continue to track production and cost impacts; Anthony invited questions from the board at the end of his presentation.