Over the next few months, the Belmont Middle and High School is expected to achieve a key climate goal: zero net energy. In other words, it will get all of its energy from renewable sources.
The move toward a greener school is thanks in part to the installation of solar panels on its roof, which should be completed by November. The complex will start using the solar-generated energy in January, with the full system up and running a month later.
The panels are expected to save Belmont taxpayers more than $5 million dollars over 30 years, or about $170,000 a year in energy costs.
The solar roof will also help Belmont achieve its Climate Action Plan, which aims to reduce carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050.
Reduced Number Of Solar Panels
The project was not without its bumps along the way. For example, the vendor proposed cutting the number of solar panels from 2,400 to 2,200 after concerns that some of them might blow off the roof. By installing fewer panels, there was more space to properly secure them. But making the change increased the overall cost of the project.
The town initially budgeted $2.6 million for the solar roof in 2018. It ended up costing $3.4 million, in part due to the new design. Lovallo says the bulk of the overrun — $500,000 — came from the building’s contingency fund. The Select Board kicked in the remaining $290,000 from federal coronavirus funds.
The change also means the panels will provide slightly less energy than originally anticipated.
“What we have is approximately 31 percent renewable, when we told the taxpayers in 2018 about 32 percent,” Lovallo said.
Belmont resident and solar energy activist Brian Iler says it might not seem like a big difference, but every little bit counts.
“We owe [future] generations 100 percent,” he said. “It’s not just about money. It’s also about the stewardship of the planet.”
But Belmont Light will source the remaining energy for the school from renewable sources, so that the town will meet its clean energy goals.
Homeowners Can Go Solar Too
Aidan Leary, Belmont Light’s spokesperson, says that the number of solar installations in town has slowly been rising. By mid-summer that included 400 residential and 12 commercial solar service installations — about 3.5 percent of Belmont Light’s customers.
Residents who are interested in solar panels for their homes or businesses should consult with solar panel vendors who will analyze their properties and provide a cost estimate. If the client decides to proceed, the vendors will do the rest, including reaching out to Belmont Light.
“It’s fairly straightforward,” said Roger Wrubel, an Energy Committee member. Wrubel, alongside many other members of the Energy Committee, is part of Belmont Goes Solar, a volunteer group acting as a resource for Belmont residents interested in renewable energy.
