Title
Authorizing the acceptance of $72,000 from the Minnesota Department of Commerce’s Solar on Public Buildings Grant Program for rooftop solar installation at Fire Station #3.
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 City Council previously approved RES 24-854 for the submission of a Solar on Public Buildings Grant application of $72,000 to cover a portion of the $155,840 cost for installing a 40-kW rooftop solar array at Fire Station #3, with the remainder of the solar project costs to be paid from existing funds already designated for the building renovation; and
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul allocated Capital Improvement Budget funds for the renovation of the former Fire Station #51 to the new Fire Station #3; and
WHEREAS, the renovation is required to align with the State of Minnesota's B3 Sustainable Buildings Guidelines and SB2030 Energy Standard which require onsite renewable energy generation to meet energy and carbon efficiency standards for the facility; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, that the Saint Paul City Council authorizes the Office of Financial Services and Saint Paul Fire Department to accept a $72,000 Solar on Public Buildings Grant and execute a grant agreement with the Minnesota Department of Commerce.