Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Energy topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Greenworks pitches lease‑to‑own solar to Oley Valley SD, projects six‑figure annual savings
Summary
Greenworks Development proposed lease‑to‑own solar installations covering roofs and ground arrays, offering a 68% offset (about $73,000/year savings) or a 119% plan (about $118,000/year), with no upfront district cost and a suggested June 30 agreement deadline to secure federal tax-credit timing.
Greenworks Development presented a lease‑to‑own solar feasibility study to the Oley Valley School District board, proposing rooftop and ground arrays the company said would deliver substantial district electricity savings with no upfront cost to the district.
"Lots of reasons for schools to go solar mainly the three top reasons are money, money, and money," said Doug Dick of Greenworks Development, who led the presentation. Dick described two illustrative options: a roof‑only configuration that would offset roughly 68% of the district’s electricity use and a broader plan (additional ground arrays and elementary roofs) that would offset about 119%.
Dick said the 68% option would produce about $73,000 in annual savings at current electricity prices, while the 119% option would produce about $118,000 a year, with additional annual and cumulative savings over a 40‑year cash‑flow analysis. He added the company’s cash‑flow model shows cumulative savings of roughly $6.75 million for the 68% scenario and about $11.5 million for the 119% scenario assuming a 2% annual electricity‑price increase over 40 years.
Under the lease‑to‑own structure Dick described, the district would make no upfront capital payment; the developer would cover construction, permitting and utility interconnection and the district would pay a monthly lease. The developer retains ownership for a minimum five‑year hold; after five years the district could buy the system (Dick described a typical buyout at a discount, and said investors generally hold systems for five years). The company plans for a 12–18 month utility approval and installation period after contract signing.
Dick explained technical and maintenance points: modern rooftop arrays use ballast trays rather than roof penetrations; arrays add roughly six pounds per square foot to roof load; panels are typically covered by a 30‑year output warranty and inverters by a 20‑year warranty (with an inverter replacement cost modeled in year 21). He said repair and maintenance are covered during the lease period; if the district later owns the system, maintenance costs were estimated at roughly $15,000–$20,000 per year.
Board members asked practical questions about insurance, buyout obligations and facility changes. Dick said the district would include the array on its insurance policy and that there was no obligation to buy out the system after the lease period. He urged the board to consider signing agreements by June 30 so projects could meet federal tax‑credit timing.
No formal vote on the solar proposal occurred at the meeting; the presentation was provided as information and the company left materials and contact information for follow‑up.
