Title
Authorizing the acceptance of $59,270.40 from the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s Solar on Public Buildings Grant Program for rooftop solar installation at Hamline Midway Library.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul’s Climate Action and Resilience Plan, adopted in December 2019, established the goal of achieving carbon neutrality in city operations by 2030 and included a key action of increasing municipal installations of renewable energy; and
WHEREAS, the Minnesota Legislature established the Solar on Public Buildings Grant Program in 2023 to provide grants to stimulate the installation of solar energy systems on public buildings; and
WHEREAS, the Hamline Midway Library currently under construction was designed to align with the State of Minnesota's B3 Sustainable Buildings Guidelines and SB2030 Energy Standard, which require on-site renewable energy production to meet energy and carbon efficiency standards for the facility; and
WHEREAS, the City Council previously approved RES 25-1231 for a Solar on Public Buildings Grant application to cover 60% of the costs for installing a 33-kW rooftop solar array at Hamline Midway Library, with the remainder of the solar project costs to be paid from existing funds already designated for construction of the new building; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Council authorizes the Office of Financial Services and Saint Paul Libraries to accept a $59,270.40 Solar on Public Buildings Grant and execute a grant agreement with the Minnesota Department of Commerce.
See attachment.