Bill may help schools go green
Proposed law would help pay
for renewable energy projects
BY ANDREW WALTERS
SVS REPORTER
awalters@svnmail.com
Going green could get a little more affordable for Illinois schools if state Rep. Jerry Mitchell, R-Sterling, gets his way.
The former school administrator turned state representative is pushing for legislation that will help public schools pay for alternative energy improvements to school buildings.
The bill would require the Illinois State Board of Education to establish and operate a renewable energy grant program to assist school districts in the installation, acquisition, construction and improvement of renewable energy sources in schools.
Improvements would include constructing wind turbines to generate electricity, such as the one at Bureau Valley High School in Manlius. It would also cover the installation of solar panels, such as the ones operating at Reagan Middle School in Dixon, or switching to geothermal heating which captures the thermal energy of the earth to heat buildings.
Sterling Community Unit 5 Schools provided the catalyst for the new legislation, Mitchell said.
"This really came out of discussions I had with Sterling Public Schools. They are looking to put renewable energy in the middle school," Mitchell said.
The district is searching for ways to replace the outdated heating system at Challand Middle School with geothermal. Money is a major hurdle.
"We are 100 percent supportive of Jerry Mitchell's legislation," said Wil Booker, Sterling Schools superintendent. "At the middle school we have (heating) units that are deteriorating. The building just needs updating dearly."
He added that all of the Sterling school buildings are 50 years old or older. None of the grade schools have air conditioning and all will eventually need to have their heating units replaced.
Citing an increase in energy costs to the tune of 50 percent in the last two years, Booker said energy efficient geothermal would in the long run save the taxpayers money. The only problem is the initial expense could be a tough pill for taxpayers to swallow.
"If we did it in the middle school, it would be about $3 million," Booker said.
Under Mitchell's proposal, schools seeking similar projects would be able to have half of it paid for through a grant up to $1 million. If the bill passes, it would go into effect on July 1.
At Reagan, the solar panels that were installed about a year ago were paid for by some existing state and federal grants. A fund specifically for the purpose would go a long way, particularly for schools in rural areas, said James Brown, Dixon Public Schools superintendent.
"It would be a help. No question about it," Brown said. "It looks like the wind turbines are the most effective (form of renewable energy) in our area and they are the most expensive."
The turbine at Bureau Valley High School, which provides more than enough electricity for the high school, cost $1 million.
For that expense, BVHS saved $71,000 last year on energy costs and can expect to average annual savings of at least $50,000, said Terry Gutshall, Bureau Valley School District superintendent.
The BVHS turbine would not be a reality without Illinois Clean Energy Foundation grants.
"We were able to get some grants. We had over $400,000 in grants for that project," Gutshall said.
Because there are so many people in the state doing things like this, the Illinois Clean Energy Foundation doesn't have enough money to go around, and coming up with that kind of money is no small task for schools in small communities.
"It is difficult, it really is. It would come under a building fund, and you have to go to the taxpayers," Brown said.
Mitchell believes that helping schools use alternative energy would help districts statewide cut costs. While rural schools could invest in wind turbines, suburban schools could benefit from geothermal and solar power.
"The schools, a great majority of them are running at deficit spending. They are looking at saving money without cutting programs. The way to do that is cut expenses," Gutshall said.
Reach Andrew Walters at 625-3600, 284-2222 or (800) 798-4085, ext. 522.
