Rooftop solar system at Appleton library will be increased

By DUKE BEHNKE

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The rooftop solar array planned for the Appleton Public Library is about to double in size.

The 2026 Appleton budget allocated $350,000 for the solar array, which is a collection of solar panels that are wired together to generate electricity.

The city Finance Committee unanimously recommended on June 8 that another $350,000 be transferred to the project.

Both amounts would be drawn from a $2.5 million elective pay reimbursement that Appleton received through the federal Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 for the installation of the library’s geothermal system for heating and cooling.

“We weren’t expecting quite that much, so that was really nice to see,” Parks and Recreation Director Tom Flick said of the federal money.

The $700,000 will pay for the installation of a 280-kilowatt solar system, estimated to cost $675,000, and for targeted energy-efficiency adjustments and upgrades at the library, estimated to cost $25,000.

Flick said Appleton expects to receive a $200,000 rebate on the solar array, lowering the net cost to $475,000.

The solar array and efficiency upgrades will reduce the library’s utility costs by an estimated $72,100 annually, resulting in payback period of 6.9 years.

The solar panels have an estimated life of 30 years.

If the city were to stay with a smaller $350,000 solar array, the savings would be $31,500 annually, and the payback period would be 7.8 years.

Appleton Project & Resiliency Manager Steven Schrage said the library’s solar system will include about 500 solar panels and will generate about 364,000 kilowatt-hours annually. That’s the equivalent of powering about 35 homes, he said.

The Common Council will consider the $350,000 transfer on June 17.

“While it does have an upfront cost, it’s going to allow us to have lower operational costs and does really have the benefit both financial as well as the environmental impact,” council member Brad Firkus said.

With council approval, Schrage said the installation could begin later this year, depending on the lead time for the solar panels.

“I would love to have it done by the end of the year, but that’s being really optimistic,” Schrage told The Post-Crescent.

A rooftop solar array was part of the planning for the new library, which opened in 2025, but it wasn’t included in the construction. Early on, officials had expected We Energies would fund, own and maintain the solar array as part of the company’s Solar Now program, but the program was at full capacity, and the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin voted not to expand it.

The new solar array will be owned by the city.

Flick said the library construction finished $300,000 to $400,000 over its $40.4 million budget. The money received through the Inflation Reduction Act will cover the overrun.

“The rest of the money was not allocated to go toward any specific project or improvement” other than the solar array, Flick said.