Alliant to build 8-acre solar grid at school

The Creston Community School District will soon be leasing land to Alliant Energy for an eight-acre solar grid in exchange for $5,751 in monthly rent after the board unanimously approved the agreement Monday.

The solar discussion began in September as Creston Schools Superintendent Deron Stender and Business Manager Billie Jo Greene met with a representative from Red Lion Renewable.

Though board member Galen Zumbach was hesitant to pursue solar in September, he was the one to make the motion Monday.

Red Lion Renewable proposed a solar power service agreement in which Red Lion Renewables would place a solar field in the grassy area west of the high school, middle school and bus barn. Red Lion would finance the project, and in exchange, the school could receive up to $46,000 in energy savings annually.

In January, Alliant threw its hat into the ring, proposing leasing school property for a solar grid. No exchange of electricity would be part of the agreement, rather, it would simply be a land lease agreement.

The January annual estimate was a $35,000 payout to the school annually in exchange for the land. “We’re like a farmer leasing that ground,” David Vollmar of Alliant Energy explained. “We’re taking care of it.”

Though initially the school district agreed to pursue both projects in good faith, they favored the Alliant Energy project.

After discussion with both parties, the agreement with Red Lion was dropped as both projects would not be feasible together.

In April, the board agreed to a participate in the Alliant pilot program. The proposal stated, “the solar array will be owned by Alliant Energy and will add clean energy to the grid that will help power local homes and nearby businesses for decades to come. In return, Alliant Energy will pay Creston Schools an annual fixed lease payment of $53,485 over the next 20 years. The lease also includes three 5-year extension options at Alliant Energy’s discretion.”

The agreement constituted nearly a $20,000 increase annually from what was proposed in January.

“I’m excited about that,” Stender told the board. “I have no fear at all. I don’t have the anxiety or the fear of, what if this breaks or something. We don’t even have to deal with it.”

Since April, the price has increased yet again.

The hosted solar lease agreement for $69,013 annually has now been approved, and the project has an anticipated start date of the spring of 2024. The location remains the same, in the grassy area west of the high school, middle school and bus barn.