Fox Chapel officials are continuing their efforts to improve energy efficiency through solar means.
Council unanimously approved a $70,700 contract with Energy Independent Solutions to install solar panels at the public works operations facility behind the borough building along Fox Chapel Road.
The vote took place May 20. EIS was the lowest of two bidders.
A bulk of the cost is covered through a $51,500 Commonwealth Financing Authority grant. The remaining $19,200 will come from the borough’s public works capital fund.
Borough Manager Gary Koehler said it is unclear how many panels will be needed or how much it may save the borough in the long run.
“There are too many variables to calculate to answer the question accurately,” he said. “The systems (are) guaranteed for 40 years at 80% production.”
The systems also have a 12- or 13-year return on investment assuming electricity rate increases remain the same as inflation.
The panels are expected to be installed in the next three to five months.
Solar panels were installed at the public works garage in December 2022. The cost of the panels were $249,000, and a related transformer upgrade was $5,320. It also was an EIS project.
It was funded through a federal American Rescue Plan grant. The system went active in January 2023.
Even though the 10,800-square-foot garage increased the borough’s facility space, the panels trimmed the borough’s electric bill to Duquesne Light last year by about $13,400.
The surplus electricity the system produced is expected to yield a $3,000 reimbursement from Duquesne Light, and Fox Chapel will receive solar renewable energy credits of about $4,110 for energy produced last year.
Council President Andrew Bennett said the results of the garage project and potential savings from the new installations made it an easy expansion to support. Larry Kurpakus, director of public works, agreed.
“The solar panels are operating and are producing each month,” Kurpakus said. “It’s functioning really well. I think we’re happy, and we’re supporting that (new project).”
In other business
Council approved new guidelines to help facilitate emergency response to residences.
Councilwoman Betsy Monroe said the public safety assistance committee has been working hard to address concerns of potential responses by police, firefighters and EMS to wrong locations.
The following recommendations were approved after slight language alterations at the meeting:
• Addresses should match access: Driveway access should dictate the road for the address.
• Address numbers should follow in sequence with odd and even numbers on opposite sides.
• Shared driveways with two through four houses will have Fox Chapel number signage.
• Private driveways with new road names should be created for shared driveways with more than four houses.
• Borough staff will make their best effort to identify solutions that resolve public safety concerns with the minimum impact on homeowners.
Monroe said the guidelines may impact about 50 homes throughout the borough.
The recommendations were approved after several residents from Woodland Farms Road opposed the idea of possibly changing their addresses.
Councilman Jonathan Colton noted the action was just to approve guidelines and not to vote on any address changes.
Michael DiVittorio is a TribLive reporter covering general news in Western Pennsylvania, with a penchant for festivals and food. He can be reached at mdivittorio@triblive.com.