Officials consider solar energy

By Ed Runyan

Officials hope to know something within a couple of weeks.

WARREN — With rising energy prices encouraging the use of renewable energy, the Trumbull County commissioners hope they can be a local green-energy leader.

This week, commissioners authorized Dovetail Solar and Wind of Chagrin Falls to evaluate data provided by the county to determine whether it will be cost-effective to install solar collection panels on the roof of the new Trumbull County Department of Job and Family Services building on North Park Avenue.

Alan Frasz, of Dovetail, will analyze the data and offer a free recommendation of how long it would take for the solar panels to pay for themselves.

Officials expect to hear back from Dovetail within a couple of weeks.

Based on that, the commissioners will decide whether to advertise for bids to carry out the project.

Commissioner Paul Heltzel and officials from the county planning commission attended a seminar in Youngstown several weeks ago conducted by the Eastgate Regional Council of Governments that encouraged local leaders to consider solar energy production in light of the rising cost of energy.

Officials were told Northeast Ohio, once thought to be too cloudy for solar energy production, compares favorably to Germany in terms of its amount of sunlight, Heltzel said.

Germany is considered the world leader in solar power generation, Heltzel said.

The system would allow electricity generated by solar panels on the 15,000-square-foot roof to be used inside the building, with any surplus electricity sent back into the electrical grid for other customers to use, Heltzel said.

Any additional electricity needed would be provided by the electric company.

A net metering system would keep track of how much power was generated by the solar panels and how much the county owed the power company.

If such a system were feasible, it would provide the county with a showcase it could use to encourage others in Trumbull to use renewable energy sources as well, Heltzel said.

Led by Jim Shader, a member of the county planning commission, the commission approved a resolution last year encouraging county officials to consider alternative energy sources in any utility projects undertaken by the county, such as wastewater treatment plant upgrades.

County commissioners also approved a resolution in April called the Trumbull-Mahoning Green Pact, which pledges the county’s support for any energy conservation and renewable energy projects in the region.

runyan@vindy.com