Public works yard going solar
The city's electrical bills may soon be reduced, thanks to a federal stimulus project that is scheduled to begin construction.
The City Council recently approved a bid from Los Angeles-based Bestek Engineering Inc. to construct solar panels at the city's Public Works yard.
As a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Department of Energy made funds available to local cities to encourage energy-efficient projects.
City officials determined the city yard was the best fit for the federal money.
Upland secured $670,800 in 2009, and the solar panel project may cost up to $620,000.
"So what this does is the panels will generate energy that would offset our existing energy cost for the Public Works yard building, which is not very energy-efficient building because of its age," Public Works Director Anthony La said.
Construction is expected to begin at the end of September and could take four to five months to complete, La said.
Construction includes two 40-by-118-foot steel shade structures over the existing parking areas, placement of solar panels on the roof as well as installation of conductors, electrical inverters and conduits connecting to the existing electric meter.
The city expects to save more than $350,000 in electricity costs over the 20-year life span of the panels, according to the staff report.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is one of the single largest investments in the U.S. economy in the country's history. The act's $787 billion of funding is aimed to improve public sectors, such as transportation, clean energy and communications technology.
President Barack Obama signed the act into law Feb. 17, 2009.
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