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Attachment G REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION Date: May 14, 2018 Item No.: Department 'Approval City Manager Approval Item Description: City Campus Solar Options 1 BACKGROUND z City Staff has been researching and discussing solar installation opportunities for public s buildings for many years. In January 2013, staff met with Powerfully Green (installer) and 4 Newport Partners (financer) for the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) on the City Hall and s Maintenance Building roof. Powerfully Green and Newport Partners were working with the o cities of Lindstrom and Champlin who received grants and Xcel Energy rebates for rooftop 7 projects in their cities. Roseville's plan was to install two 40kW systems with the City paying a $66,000 in upfront costs, with a total project cost of $660,000. The payback of this system was 9 projected to be 10-12 years. City Council supported (3-2) entering into a letter of intent with U Newport Partners to apply for grant funding with Xcel. The City was not selected for funding 11 through this process. 12 13 Staff continued to meet with developers and financers in 2014 to investigate the installation of 14 solar PV on rooftops within the City Hall campus. Grant funding was available through Made - 15 in -MN, and a low financing option was provided by the St Paul Port Authority. The City 16 submitted two grants, but was not selected through the lottery process. n 18 At the same time, the City was investigating Community Solar. The program has some 19 community support and interest. The project would allow property owners to buy slta cs from a 20 City installed system and get a credit on their utility bill for the power system they bought into. 21 The residents encouraged the City to look at ways to participate in this program, and was the 22 impetus for a presentation in May of 2014 by the Great Plains Institute/CERTs. CERTs goal was 23 to educate everyone on Community Solar projects and how the City could engage the 24 community. 25 26 Staff sent out an REP in January of 2015 that looked at all the rooftops in the City Hall campus 21 to determine how feasible all the locations were, and what total capacity was available. The REP 28 received two responses, but neither were selected because part of the REP was looking into grant 29 funding through Made -in -MN. The City applied for three buildings, but was not selected so through the lottery process. 32 The City reworked the REP to look at a direct purchase, or Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), 33 for the installation of a rooftop solar system on the Skating Center. Two proposals came back 34 with the City selecting Sundial Solar. In August of 2015, the City Council authorized staff to 35 enter into a Letter of Intent with Sundial Solar for the installation of a 375kW Photovoltaic so system on the roof of the Skating Center. Staff worked with Sundial Solar on the detailed Page 1 of 3