The Colonial School District (CSD) expects to save more than $2 million on energy costs over the next 20 years after the installation of solar panels this summer at Colonial Middle School (CMS) and Colonial Elementary School (CES). The District will receive a $704,450 solar energy program grant to install the two solar photovoltaic systems that will include a 440-kilowatt rooftop device for CMS and a 265-kilowatt system for CES. Combined the systems will generate approximately 880,000 kilowatt hours of energy annually, which could save the District nearly $110,000 in energy costs each year.

The District will expend no upfront capital costs for the $3.2 million project. The installation costs will be funded by the grant
and third-party investment. Colonial LLC will install the systems and CSD will repay the company through its operating budget over a 20- year period, based on a fixed cost for the energy produced from the solar panels. That cost is currently lower than the District pays per kilowatt hour.