Monroe Twp School District, the MUA, and Municipal Township completed a Joint Solar Initiative estimated to save $10 Million over 15 years
Background & Partnership
Collaborative project group: Monroe Township Board of Education joined forces with the Municipal Utilities Authority (MUA) and Township Council under a shared‑service model. Their mission: harness solar to stabilize energy costs and alleviate the tax burden.
2019 feasibility phase: Township issued an RFP to evaluate solar installation on multiple town-owned assets, including schools, MUA sites, municipal buildings, and the library.
Scope of School Installations
-
Williamstown High School:
-
Flat and pitched roof zones retrofitted for solar.
-
Parking canopy structures built over paved areas.
-
Projected annual generation: ~4.5 million kWh (~85% of the school’s electricity demand)
-
-
Williamstown Middle School:
-
Incorporates both rooftop panels and eight parking canopies.
-
Target annual output: ~3.16 million kWh (~59% of school’s needs)
-
-
Radix Elementary School:
-
Ground‑mounted panels installed on available field areas, with potential for added canopy structures
-
Procurement & Technical Standards
-
PPA agreement: The district enters long‑term power purchase agreements (up to 15 years) enabling solar vendor financing, construction, and operations—with no upfront cost to taxpayers. District pays only for delivered electricity, typically at below-market rates.
-
Design specifications: Systems adhere to NJ Board of Public Utilities standards, including NEC & IEEE codes. PV panels have at least 16% efficiency and warranties of 25 years or more.
Timeline & Financial Impact
-
Construction start: Initiated in mid–2021, post‑feasibility and RFP process.
-
Tax stability: Township taxes remained flat for roughly four years following project launch. The BOE redirected funds saved from energy to critical maintenance—boilers, chillers, roofs—without cuts to core programming
-
Future Outlook: Discussions underway for Phase 2—likely involving community solar and expansion across additional parking lots or buildings
