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Chambersburg to pursue solar installations at two elementary schools with PA grant and CM3 contract
Summary
District staff reported awards from the PA Solar for Schools program and presented a CM3 Building Solutions agreement to install rooftop and ground‑mount systems at Scotland and Fayetteville elementaries; total system cost ~$1.51M, net district cost ~$426,000, and projected net energy savings of about $3.7M over 30 years.
District staff told the board the Chambersburg Area School District was awarded two Pennsylvania Solar for Schools grants and proposed moving forward with CM3 Building Solutions to install solar energy systems at Scotland Elementary (rooftop) and Fayetteville Elementary (combination rooftop and ground mount).
Matt (project lead) said the total estimated system installation cost is about $1,511,000. Offsets include an estimated federal investment tax credit of about $469,000, a PA Solar for Schools grant of about $625,000, and a utility rebate of about $43,000, leaving an estimated net project cost to the district of roughly $426,000. Staff presented a 30‑year production and cash‑flow analysis that produced an estimated lifetime net energy savings of about $3.7 million, while noting those savings are modeled on current electricity prices with modest escalation and include production degradation over time.
Matt said the contract is performance‑based: CM3 guarantees energy production benchmarks, will monitor production for the first three years to confirm those guarantees, and includes O&M in early years with an option for the district to purchase ongoing O&M thereafter. Board members asked whether ground arrays would affect playgrounds or fields; Matt said the Fayetteville ground arrays would sit in a portion of grass not used for daily play and would not interfere with ball fields.
Board members expressed support and thanked staff for securing the grant and developing the project details. The contract and related consent agenda items will be scheduled for formal voting at the district’s upcoming voting meeting.
No formal contract award was approved at the meeting; staff said the items will be included on the consent agenda for the next voting meeting.
