Solar  -  September 21, 2021

Central Arkansas Library System Starts Work on 998 kW Solar Array

The Central Arkansas Library System broke ground Sept. 17 on a new solar array that is expected to generate $36,000 in annual energy cost savings.

CALS selected Entegrity, a previous energy project partner, to complete a 998 kW array with 3,024 modules at its location as Phase 2 of an energy overhaul project.

CALS partnered with the Arkansas Energy Office in 2017 to implement an energy savings performance contract, which included an LED lighting retrofit, new HVAC equipment and utility rate corrections by Entegrity. The Phase 1 upgrades produced enough energy savings to cover the cost of the project and also fund a 66 kW solar array at the Hillary Rodham Clinton Children's Library & Learning Center, exceeding expected savings by more than $30,000.

The two phases of these projects combined are expected to save CALS $5.8 million over the project’s lifetime.

“The decision to continue our project with Entegrity and produce more solar energy for CALS was an easy one,” Lance Ivy, director of facilities and operations, said in a statement. “While the onsite array is perfect to increase our patrons' access to an operating solar facility, this new array will offset the energy consumption of several CALS buildings and create serious savings for us to incorporate new initiatives.”

Share this valuable information with your colleagues using the buttons below: