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Racine Unified says solar projects are ahead of schedule, cites projected savings
Summary
District staff reported that a multi-site solar partnership with McKinstry is ahead of schedule: Case High’s 460 kW system is online and producing roughly 600,000 kWh annually, while Gifford and Goodland installations are due this summer; combined smaller systems are estimated to avoid about $45,000–$50,000 in annual energy costs.
District staff provided a status update on a districtwide solar energy initiative developed with McKinstry, saying the program is ahead of schedule and intended to reduce operating costs and deliver long-term savings.
Case High School’s system, described as a 460 kilowatt installation, has been operational since February and staff estimated it produces more than 600,000 kilowatt-hours annually — roughly 30% of the building’s energy use. Staff said Gifford will be the largest single-site installation at nearly 500 kilowatts and is expected to offset about 48% of that building’s energy use; Goodland Montessori was described as approaching a 90% offset when complete. Existing operational systems at Red Apple and Schulte together amount to about 330 kilowatts of capacity and were reported to produce more than 400,000 kWh annually, which staff estimated translates to approximately $45,000–$50,000 in avoided energy costs per year for those sites.
Staff also described a monitoring kiosk for each site that shows real-time performance and cumulative production, and said McKinstry and district staff have done community outreach, including presentations to students. Administration said it is exploring feasibility for adding at least four more schools and pursuing federal funding opportunities.
What board members asked: Board members thanked staff and the vendor for outreach to students and highlighted the educational benefits of on-site solar demonstrations. No board vote was required; staff will continue to monitor system performance and return updates as savings and production data accumulate.
