Council Advances Solar Partnership with Schools

Gloucester Township Council on Monday unanimously voted to adopt a resolution making it the lead agency in a solar energy partnership with Black Horse Pike Regional School District and Gloucester Township Public Schools.

Mayor David Mayer praised the municipal-schools partnership during his comments at the meeting.

"This is not only a great example of saving taxpayer money, but also of both local and regional school districts working together to achieve the goal of saving taxpayer money," Mayer said. "So, I thank both Black Horse Pike Regional and our local Gloucester Township schools and their boards and administrators for their hard work over the last couple of years to finally bring this to fruition."

As lead agency, the township will negotiate a power purchase agreement, or PPA, with the project's developers—Sewell firm RAI Services and South Jersey Industries' Marina Energy.

Black Horse Pike Regional School District Board of Education approved the shared-services agreement between the three government entities, with RAI Services and Marina Energy named as developers, at its Nov. 15 meeting.

Solar panels will be placed on the roof at Triton and in a drainage basin at Timber Creek, officials said.

Blue Sky Power, the township's energy consultant, estimated the electricity savings to the township and two school districts through the solar energy project will total about $6.5 million over 15 years.

Neither the township nor school districts will put up any upfront money for the solar panels.

Councilman Frank Schmidt, who is a Gloucester Township Public Schools teacher, abstained from the vote on the resolution.