Solar Strategies for Public Works

Solar isn't just for major cities; however, successfully executing a renewable energy strategy does require significant legal, procurement, property management, and engineering expertise that may not be readily available to smaller local governments.

Through a series of case studies, the first part of this session explores different financing, procurement, and management strategies for making solar power work for small communities.

Some of the concepts/strategies explored include:
 

• Regional Collaboration: Smaller cities often lack the technical, financial, and organizational capabilities needed to successfully adopt renewable energy. By working together, smaller jurisdictions can take advantage of economies of scale to lower total costs and accelerate project completion.
• Portfolio Assessment: Solar projects in smaller municipalities are often tied to a single public works project such as new building construction or roof replacement. However, single sites are often too small to interest solar installers/developers. A comprehensive portfolio assessment that systematically evaluates the solar and economic potential of all relevant municipal properties may identify less obvious opportunities and help to maximize project value.
• Project Economics: Ensuring a solid return on investment is a complex task for projects of all sizes. Learn the pros and cons of solar financing options for smaller scale solar projects from case studies of cities that have already adopted solar.

  The second half of this program focuses on the design of solar pv installations on existing roofs and new roofs.

  Solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems have unique funding, design, and installation issues on new roofs, and especially on older roofs, relating to roof design, water tightness, and roof longevity; and have structural complexities caused by higher dead and live loads, wind uplift, and seismic/thermal movement.

  Public Works professionals must keep pace with rapidly changing design implications of literally hundreds of variations in products on the market, and become current in the understanding of evolving technology in PV materials and components.

  When properly planned, designed, financed, and installed, PV systems offer significant reductions in energy costs. On certain properties, PV can provide tax advantages, even to local government, when the costs are sold to willing buyers.

  In addition to design issues and real life examples, this presentation will show how financial issues can be and are interconnected with design issues.

  After viewing this program, participants will be better able to:

• Make informed budgeting decisions about the real costs of solar installations.
• Evaluate and secure the best solar deal for their community.
• Determine how design issues and other issues will impact funding and approval, and provide real life examples of how these issues impacted actual projects.