Cutting costs and ribbons at Minnesota West Community and Technical College

It was a nice and sunny day in late March when Minnesota West Community and Technical College cut the ribbon at its Canby campus to celebrate the opening of its new solar array.

The 40 kilowatt installation was sited on non-productive land and was made possible with a grant from the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s Solar for Schools Program. Launched in January 2022, 92 Minnesota schools have been awarded grants so far, with an additional 47 applications in review, according to the Department of Commerce.

The total project cost was around $130,000. Otter Tail Power Company offered a $60,000 incentive, $48,000 was contributed from the Solar for Schools grant, and the remainder came from the Minnesota State Energy Center of Excellence and Minnesota West.

“The grant and rebate ensured that this made financial sense and fit with the school's mission,” notes Peter Lindstrom, Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) manager of public sector and community engagement. “It's a model that other campuses can follow.”

The project is predicted to offset an estimated $30,000 in energy costs, with a payback period of about five to six years. Beyond the cost savings, the college offers a Solar Photovoltaic Technician Certificate, and the solar array provides hands-on learning to students. 

Lindstrom sums up the potential impact of the project, “Minnesota has a record number of jobs in the clean energy sector, and Minnesota West is well-positioned to train people for these jobs.” We're looking forward to hearing how the installation better positions students working through the training program!

The following morning the Roadshow wound its way to Minneota Public Schools.

CERTs worked closely with Superintendent Scott Monson, Business Manager Tara Skorczewski, and Facilities Director Les Engler to procure a 40 kW array on the district's combined elementary and high school. Engler made a special trip into the office to meet with Lindstrom and Schienebeck while taking time off to recover from shoulder surgery.

Nearly the entire cost of the array is covered by the Solar for Schools grant as well as a rebate from Otter Tail Power. All Energy Solar worked with the district to install the array on the school roof in December 2024.