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Menlo Park moves forward with solar on five city facilities, estimates $3 million in 20‑year savings
Summary
Menlo Park and Peninsula Clean Energy are installing rooftop and carport solar at five city sites — including City Hall and the Menlo Park Library — under a PPA with no upfront cost. Systems are expected to provide roughly 90–95% of City Hall and library needs, with batteries planned later and temporary parking impacts during construction.
Menlo Park officials told the Environmental Quality Commission on Dec. 17 that a citywide solar‑and‑storage partnership with Peninsula Clean Energy (PCE) will place photovoltaic systems on five municipal sites — the Menlo Park Library, City Hall (rooftop plus two parking‑lot carports), the Burgess Pool (panels on the gymnastics building roof) and the Belle Haven Child Development Center — with no upfront cost to the city.
Clerk Rachael Londer, who presented the update, said the program operates under a power‑purchase agreement in which PCE owns the systems, manages design, procurement and construction and handles maintenance for a 20‑year term. "We essentially pay for this through our electricity bills," Londer said, and staff estimated "just over $3 million" in utility‑bill savings over the 20‑year PPA term.
Commissioners heard that initial designs indicate City Hall and the library systems will offset roughly…
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