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Onalaska reports preliminary savings from solar panels and two electric patrol cars
Summary
City staff told the council that rooftop solar at city hall cut electricity costs by more than $8,000 year‑over‑year and that two electric squad cars have produced preliminary combined fuel/electric savings of about $1,000 every five months; staff cautioned the data are early and long‑term lifecycle costs remain uncertain.
City Administrator Rick Niemeyer updated the Onalaska Common Council on recent infrastructure investments, reporting early operational savings from both the city-hall solar array and a pilot of electric squad cars.
Niemeyer said the solar array entered service Jan. 1, 2025, and that preliminary comparisons show "savings of over $8,000 from '24 into '25." He reminded the council the solar array cost about $160,000 to install, that typical solar panels are expected to need replacement in 20–25 years and that panels lose roughly 1–2% efficiency per year, meaning long‑term lifecycle economics depend on those factors.
On electric patrol cars, Niemeyer said the two vehicles in service so far generated preliminary savings of "roughly $1,000 every 5 months" for the pair; staff emphasized the sample is small and that fuel-price swings and maintenance‑cost differences must be assessed over multiple years before concluding whether expanding the program makes fiscal sense. The police chief said further testing is needed and that two additional EVs scheduled for delivery later this year will provide more mileage data.
Council members asked about purchase‑price differentials, charging‑station costs, and vehicle lifespan assumptions. One alderman estimated the earlier EV purchases were about $15,000 more per vehicle; staff and the chief said the next two ordered showed a reduced price differential. The council urged staff to gather multi‑year operating and maintenance data before deciding on further purchases.
On environmental benefits, IT Director Joe (via email placed in the record) provided city equivalencies for the solar production: the first year equated roughly to planting 119 trees, removing 45–50 cars from the road annually and saving more than 20,000 gallons of gasoline and about 86 tons of coal, figures the city provided as illustrative conversions.
What happens next: Staff will continue to monitor EV performance and solar production and return with longer‑term operating and replacement cost projections to inform future budget decisions.
