3 years payback
quote:
Weslaco waste plant going green
WESLACO — The city of Weslaco was awarded $2 million in grants for the construction of a solar array project.
The money, overseen by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts and given by the State Energy Conservation Office and the U.S Department of Energy, will be used to reduce power costs at the South Waste Water Treatment Plant through the construction of hundreds of solar panels.
The plant is the number one consumer of electricity in Weslaco, said former Mayor Buddy de la Rosa. He said the solar cells will produce almost half of the energy the plant requires to run.
The array of solar cells will cover a two-acre area comprised of four rows with 462 panels each.
The total cost of the project is $2.4 million, but there is a potential $180,000 rebate from American Electric Power that was promised if the project was completed. The city is matching 12 percent of the cost by taking $220,000 from Weslaco’s sewer fund. De la Rosa said the city will see a return on the investment in three years after an anticipated $80,000 savings in electricity per year.
The project is equivalent to 181 acres of trees planted and is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 817,000 pounds per year.
De la Rosa said the city might receive national recognition for the project.
“It is a tremendous asset for the city of Weslaco. No city our size has ever done something like this,” he said.
The former mayor also noted that if a national Cap and Trade Bill was passed, the city could receive up to $3.8 million for the reduction of energy consumed.
The equipment will be warranted for 25 years by the manufacturer and has a possible working life of 30 to 35 years.
Del la Rosa added that the school district was also interested in adding solar panels in the future.
