ROCKFORD, Iowa – A north Iowa school is working to cut down on utility costs by investing in some renewable energy options, but their plan has hit a major standstill.
Utility bills for Rudd Rockford Marble Rock (RRMR) schools are through the roof, and they’re being paid for with the general fund for the district. District Superintendent Keith Turner says that every penny that comes out of that supply to pay for heating and electric, means there is less money for things like supplies and teacher salaries, so coming up with an idea to save that money was crucial.
The plan was to build a solar panel field on the south side of their buildings in Rockford. Energy from that project would serve the school, and any excess energy would help service the surrounding community. It sounds like the perfect solution, only not everyone thought so.
The plan has temporarily been put on hold because of a strict contract the city has with the company Nebraska Energy.
Math teacher, football coach and track coach Mark Johnson says he was surprised to get back to school this fall and not see any changes, especially since the plan would have helped bring more support into his classroom and athletic departments.
“It just makes sense,” he says. “We were going to possibly make money off of the solar project, which would put money back into the school and we could use that money to look at things and see where we could use the money and other places.”
He says not only would this be helpful on a financial level, but an education level as well. He says that bringing solar energy into the school could open up countless doors to teach kids about renewable energy. “We thought it would be a great project for the school, and it would enable us to further the duration of our school,” Johnson says.
The concern about the school’s future is all thanks to the growing issue of expensive utility bills. Turner says that during the month of July, energy bills exceeded $19,000. “That’s $4000 more than it was the year before,” he explains.
“Our energy costs are in excess of about $160,000 a year, and for us as a small school with the declining enrollment, it means this year we project our costs are going to be about $400 per student to heat and cool our buildings,” Turner says.
All summer, teachers and faculty have been keeping thermostats warmer and classrooms darker in an attempt to save on these costs when kids aren’t around, but the RRMR school year kicks off next week and school officials hope a decision is made soon.
We’re told Nebraska Energy will be meeting today to further discuss the plans. We will continue to follow this story as more information becomes available.
Plans for solar panel energy at RRMR are on hold
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