Sponsored By
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Public buildings in Fifty Lakes and Ideal Township are undergoing upgrades with solar panels to offset city energy costs.
At the end of December, installation was completed for panels on the southern-facing roof of the Fifty Lakes City Hall/Bar and Bottle Shop.
ADVERTISEMENT
Of the total $142,570 project cost, which the Fifty Lakes City Council approved in October, Fifty Lakes will only be responsible for $1,299, split between the city and municipal bar.
The remainder of the project is funded through a $49,500 Minnesota Solar on Public Buildings grant, a $49,000 Minnesota Pollution Control Agency grant and $42,771 IRS Direct Pay Tax Credit.
Fifty Lakes City Clerk Ann Raph said the project had been in the works for about four years and was initiated thanks to interest from past city leadership.
“It’s just been a wonderful process, and we’re very excited to see the return on it now. And the feedback from our citizens has been wonderful. They’re very pleased with what the council has done,” Raph said.
In Ideal Township, the town board is getting ready to add solar panels to the rooftops of Town Hall/Fire Hall, the maintenance building, the transfer station building and Ideal Fire Department’s Station Two.
The Ideal Township Board held an informational meeting for residents Dec. 16 to outline project specifications and discuss anticipated benefits.
A $122,395 Minnesota Solar on Public Buildings grant is expected to cover 70% of the cost of the Ideal Township installations, with the remaining 30% to be funded through a 48E Clean Energy Investment Direct Pay Tax Credit.
ADVERTISEMENT
Ron Ommen and Dave Peterson, Ideal Township Board members, provided background on how the township initially got turned on to the idea of installing solar panels in 2024 by attending a webinar hosted by the state.
“We were moving at a leisurely pace because we were really looking for grants, and we thought the return would be good for the township. And all of a sudden, we became aware that the state of Minnesota had now expanded its solar on public buildings program and put some money in a fund to start issuing grants,” Ommen said.
The installations are expected to cover about 90% of the electrical costs for Ideal’s public buildings between output and bill credits.
Both Fifty Lakes and Ideal Township contracted with Wolf Track Energy, based out of Two Harbors, for their solar installation projects.
Simon Eddy, a sales consultant with Wolf Track Energy, spoke at the Ideal Township informational meeting and provided specifics on the installation.
Eddy said that while solar energy production won’t be even throughout the year, the buildings will remain on the electrical grid and can generate bill credits during warmer months.
“None of these buildings are going to detach from the grid once we get solar. It’s really just a supplement. It’s really a full-year game. It’s how much electricity can you produce in the entire year. And what’s that worth compared to your electric bill,” Eddy said.
ADVERTISEMENT
“So even if this thing just is completely buried in snow through the whole winter, the other nine months of the year you’re building credits on your bill,” Eddy said.
The installation of the solar panels in Ideal Township is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
Fifty Lakes and Ideal Township are among 18 local governments receiving funding through the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s Solar on Public Buildings Program.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT

source