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District reports solar/geothermal incentive status and one-time energy reimbursement
Summary
Waunakee staff told the facility committee the district has met requirements for several energy-incentive projects (including the middle school solar installation), advised that federal solar incentives are winding down for future projects, and noted a one-time reimbursement check is being held for board direction.
District staff updated the Waunakee Community School District Facility Committee on Oct. 6 about energy-related incentives, the status of installed systems and a recently received one-time reimbursement check related to previous energy-efficiency projects.
Staff said the district has met federal requirements for the middle school solar installation and that the system has been constructed; administrators are arranging to have the system commissioned and turned on. "The middle school has a very significantly sized solar system going into it. The project is... basically done," a staff presenter said.
Staff explained recent federal legislative changes have reduced or phased out federal incentives for new solar projects going forward; as a result, the district should assume future solar projects may not qualify for the same federal reimbursement options. The transcript stated that geothermal (ground-source heat pump) incentives remain available and that the district—9s prior decisions protected incentives that staff had previously outlined for the middle school and other recent projects.
Administrators also described a cash reimbursement program run through a nonprofit partner (Undaunted) that pays public entities for installing eligible energy-efficient technologies. The district has received an initial payment from that program; staff emphasized that the school board has sole authority to decide how to spend the funds. "This was intended from the early onset of this program to be a cash reimbursement to public entities... The school board has sole determination of what to do with this money," staff said. The reimbursement check has been deposited but not spent; staff said it will remain reserved until the board decides how to use it.
Staff noted small federal or state incentives remain for measures such as electric-vehicle charging station installations, but said available dollar amounts for charging were modest. The committee did not take a formal action on the energy items; staff said they would present additional commissioning and cost details as systems are finalized.
