Highway Committee moves solar project forward

CRAWFORD COUNTY - At their December 19 meeting, the Crawford County Highway Committee voted unanimously to move a cost-saving solar project forward. The project will be undertaken by Olson Solar Energy, and panels will be installed on the Highway Department Shop at their facility just south of Seneca.

The plan is for a 57-panel, 25.08-kilowatt system, to be mounted on the south face of the shop building. The estimated yearly energy production of the system is 35,015 kilowatt-hours (a unit of energy that measures the total amount of electricity used or the capacity to use it).

The Crawford County Highway Department’s currently monthly utility bill from Alliant Energy is $1,265 (at the rate of $0.162 per kilowatt-hour). With a solar array in place, the department would have no monthly payment for the energy it generates, and the monthly bill with Alliant Energy is estimated at $798 per month. Over the course of 25 years, the department’s savings in energy costs are estimated at $190,826. Solar would offset 37% of the department’s energy use...