SAUGUS — Representatives from two solar companies presented an overview Thursday night of how Saugus schools can go solar.
Sol Solution of Boston finished an evaluation of all the schools in August, and owner Dr. Soren Harrison gave a rundown of each school building and how much energy they could generate.
Speaking to the Saugus School Committee, Harrison said his company makes it “extremely easy and cost effective for schools to go solar,” and works with Mercury Solar Systems, which has installed solar panels on schools in Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, but not in Massachusetts.
Harrison said the Belmonte Middle school is the only school that is solar-ready and could generate 347,000 kWh and save $200,000 over 20 years with a cost of 9 cents per kilowatt hour.
“The roof looks good and it looks good structurally,” he said. “It’s mostly ready to go.”
Harrison said his non-profit company also provides solar educational workshops for students.
Town Manager Scott Crabtree said he was concerned about being locked into a 9-cent price per kilowatt hour for 20 years.
“You’re guaranteeing your investors what they’re going to make, but it sounds like there’s no guarantee for the town down the line,” said Crabtree.
School Committee member Arthur Grabowski mentioned panels becoming outdated after a few years, much like computers, but Harrison said the technology doesn’t advance that fast.
Grabowski also had concerns about who would be responsible for leaks in the roof, which he said could “eat up” the $10,000 in annual savings if there is any litigation.
“I don’t think $10,000 a year per school is a huge saving,” said Grabowski.
Matt Shortsleeve, senior manager at Mercury Solar, pointed to Beverly High School, which had solar panels installed in the early 1980s and are still producing 84 percent of the power.
Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].
