Title
Amending the 2011 Budget for the Solar America Cities Special Project.
Body
WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul (the "City") is committed to opportunities to make Saint Paul one of the most sustainable cities in the United States; and
WHEREAS, in April of 2008 the City of Saint Paul with the City of Minneapolis received a two year grant in the amount of $200,000 from the U.S. Department of Energy to administer a Solar America Cities Grant and examine the barriers to widespread solar energy adoption; and
WHEREAS, Congress passed and President Barack Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 and announced an additional $10 million in funding through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for Special Projects in the 25 Solar America Cities Grant program; and
WHEREAS, in October 2009 the City was awarded an additional $1,030,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to administer a Solar America Cities Special Project that tests the viability of integrating a solar thermal or hybrid solar thermal/photovoltaic system into an existing district energy system; and
WHEREAS, the City Council CF # 10-396 approved partnering with District Energy to install a large solar thermal or hybrid solar thermal/photovoltaic system on the rooftop of the Saint Paul RiverCentre and to study how solar energy can be integrated into existing district energy systems and will subgrant $988,800 to District Energy which will be matched by $1,196,070 of District Energy funds; and
WHEREAS, the City was also interested in working with NRG Energy to study solar thermal energy in their system and subgranted $30,000 to NRG Energy, however, NRG chose not to conduct the study; and
WHEREAS, the City continues to work with District Energy to install and study both how solar energy can be integrated into existing district energy systems and recommends subgranting an additional $30,000 to District Energy; and
WHEREAS, City projects funded through the Solar America Cities Special Project is a multi-year and will continue in 2011; and
WHEREAS, an amended 2011 spending and financing plan in the amount of $687,915 is needed for these ongoing projects to continue; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor pursuant to Section 10.07.1 of the Charter of the City of Saint Paul, does certify that there are available for appropriation funds of $687,915 in excess of those estimated in the 2011 budget and recommends the changes to the 2011 budget described in the attached fiscal analysis;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City Council of the City of Saint Paul approves these changes to the 2011 budget; and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED, that said budget, as heretofore adopted by the Council is hereby amended as indicated in the attached fiscal analysis form, and be it
FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council also approves subgranting an additional $30,000 to District Energy in place of the originally planned subgrant to NRG.