School Board Awards Contract to Design Solar Energy System for Schools

The school board voted to award Chevron Energy Solutions a contract for designing a solar energy system for district schools at a special meeting Monday, even though voters haven't yet approved the funding for installing solar panels.

The district wants to install the solar panels on school roofs and in parking lots to create more energy-efficient buildings that will reduce energy costs.  It's one of the improvement projects the board hopes to tackle with Measure J, the $162 million proposed school bond that will go before voters in November. 

In order to take full advantage of government incentive money for renewable projects, the board chose to initiate the energy audit and solar planning process now, even before the bond is approved.  The district will pay Chevron Energy Solutions $35,000 for this initial phase, but if voters don't approve Measure J, the district won't be able to proceed to installation.

The solar panel project will cost well over $10 million, but in the proposals put before the board today, the district would recoup that investment plus additional savings in energy costs.  The district's goal is to save $1 million a year, taking pressure off of the general fund.

SunPower Corporation, a solar power company that is doing solar installation for San Mateo Union High School District, made a competing presentation and bid for the contract.  Chevron swayed the board, however, with its promise to reimburse the district for the $48,000 it will pay in fees to reserve a place in the California Solar Initiative incentive program if Measure J should fail to pass.

Chevron also said it would perform the energy assessment at no additional cost, while SunPower would charge close to $80,000.  Chevron has completed over 900 solar energy installation projects.

Board members Judith Bush, Maurice Goodman, Philip Weise, and board president Liza Normandy voted to award Chevron the contract.  Shirley Hoch abstained from the vote, saying she was uncomfortable with some of the answers Chevron gave during the presentation, such as not indicating firm enough support for made-in-America products.

"It just didn't give me a warm, fuzzy feeling," Hoch said.  "You're going to have to work hard to get me."

But the rest of the board swiftly supported Chevron's bid.

"Based on everything I see before me in terms of the financials, the guarantees whether Measure J passes, the performance guarantee, and the overall experience, I think that the Chevron proposal is the best financial proposal that our district can accept right now," Weise said. 

When Normandy closed the meeting, Weise was ready to celebrate being one step closer to making physical improvements on the schools.

"If it weren't illegal, I'd crack open a bottle of champagne right now."