Illinois school district to host Nexamp solar farm to save on energy costs

A school district in Central Illinois has signed on to a community solar program in an effort to save on energy costs.

Brimfield Community Unit School District (CUSD) No. 309 in Brimfield, Illinois, has chosen the Nexamp community solar program to reduce its annual electric expenses and add more renewable energy to the Ameren utility grid. Under a 20-year contract, the district, which includes pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students across two separate school campuses, will save more than $22,000 each year of the agreement.

The solar farm, called Jubilee Solar and sited on school grounds just beyond the high school baseball field, will be a visual reminder of the role the district is playing in environmental sustainability and the health of the larger community. The project will generate 3 MW of solar energy from approximately 5,500 solar panels mounted on a tracker system that follows the sun throughout the day. Brimfield CUSD 309 will receive a 23% allocation of the overall project while much of the rest of the project will be reserved for individual residents in the area who can enroll directly in the Nexamp community solar program.

“As we looked at ways to increase our sustainability efforts and have a positive impact in the community, we were drawn to the idea of playing such an active role in bringing more renewable energy to the local grid. We have space on our district campus and by working with Nexamp to get a solar farm constructed on site, we can immediately realize several benefits, such as cost savings, educational opportunities, and leading by example,” said Chad Jones, Brimfield Superintendent of Schools.

The project qualifies under the Illinois Shines Public Schools category, which enables public schools across the state to host community solar projects, realize significant savings, and extend those savings to the broader community.

“The Public Schools category provides an excellent framework for schools across Illinois that are interested in hosting a community solar project,” said Joe Fiori, VP of business development at Nexamp. “It enables schools to maximize the educational and financial benefits. Nexamp will still own and operate the facility over the life of the agreement.”

— Solar Builder magazine

[source: https://solarbuildermag.com/projects/illinois-school-district-host-nexamp-solar-farm/]