Funding For Solar Panel Project Discussed By Madison Council

MADISON, NJ — Members of the Madison Borough Council members were given an update on the ongoing solar carport project earlier this week.

Jim Burnet provided an update, as well as requesting approval for an ordinance to secure funding to hire Talva Energy to do engineering, design, applications and construction management of a solar carport at the Madison Recreational Complex.

The ordinance, which approved allocating $89,000 to Talva Energy for consulting on the new structure, was unanimously approved by the board.

According to Burnet, one major change in the initial plan is that the project's size and scope have been reduced. The project was originally planned to include three separate solar carports that would generate approximately 2,200 MWh, provide energy for approximately 220 homes and account for approximately two percent of Madison's electricity output.

Under the new plan, that has been sized down to one single carport.

One of the reasons for the change, according to Burnet, was the implementation of the Inflation Reduction Act, which provided new financial incentives.

"That changed the finances for the way we were going to do the solar carports significantly. Originally we were going to do a land lease where a company would come in, design, build and maintain a solar facility on our property and we would take that solar energy at a set kilowatt hour rate," Burnet said.

However, under the Inflation Reduction Act, the borough is able to get anywhere between 30 and 40 percent of the cost of the project paid for by the federal government. This increased funding makes it possible for the borough to purchase the carport themselves.

"There are a number of benefits to doing it this way. It will be cash flow positive right off the bat. We won't have to pay money into it because the money that we would be getting from it would pay off if we were borrowing," Burnet said.

The carport is expected to cost around $1.8 million, with the borough expecting to pay it off within the next nine to twelve years.

Another advantage of constructing only one carport is that the borough will be able to determine which aspects of the design they like and dislike and will be able to make necessary changes before constructing another one.

According to Burnet, the solar panels will be able to power anywhere between 50 and 85 homes under the new plan. The structure above the Madison Recreational Complex would not harm any of the trees in the area, which was a concern, and would provide shaded parking spaces.

The plan's next steps include going before the planning board and the borough engineer for a courtesy review of the design. Burnet stated that the courtesy review should be completed by December, with the process continuing into early 2023.