Title
Resolution Approving a Contract with Harvest Solar, LLC to Purchase and Oversee Installation of Solar Panels on Fire Station 6 ($73,710.00)
Memorandum
As part of City Council's goal of powering all of municipal operations with 100% clean and renewable energy by 2035, while also ensuring the short and long-term resilience of our emergency services, the City is looking to install solar energy on Fire Station 6. The solar unit being proposed will offset nearly 100% of the standard energy usage for Fire Station 6, making this our first close to net zero energy facility in the City. Moreover, this site will be wired for battery storage, meaning that, in the future, we will be able to attach batteries to the system to ensure that the station can operate even when the electrical grid goes down.
In addition to ensuring the long-term resiliency of Fire Station 6, the City is also using this project to leverage our community's deep desire to support solar installations. In particular, we will be leveraging volunteers throughout the community to support the physical installation of the panels. This process mirrors one currently being done in the City of Ypsilanti and provides a tangible way that members of our community can help the City meets its climate and sustainability goals. A side benefit of leveraging volunteer support is that is significantly lowers the cost of the installation.
Volunteers will help physically unpack panels, place them on the roof - using the proper equipment - and assist with other physical installation tasks as necessary. However, all electrical work will be performed by a certified electrician, in tandem with a licensed and certified solar energy installation firm. Given that the roof on Fire Station 6 is relatively flat, it is an ideal location for piloting volunteer solar installations.
To support this installation, the Office of Sustainability and Innovations ("OSI") has worked with the Safety Unit to purchase and hire a firm to ...
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