St. Paul – Iron Horse Campground could become the Town of St. Paul’s first move into municipal solar, but council wants to make sure the panels are put in the right place before committing to the project.

Green Amp Solar & Energy Inc. presented council with a proposal Monday night for a 104-panel, ground-mounted solar system at the campground.

The price comes in at $188,175 before GST, with Green Amp estimating the Town’s net cost at $159,948.75 after a proposed 15 percent refundable federal Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit.

Green Amp Business Development Manager Alex Potvin said he and CAO Steven Jeffery looked at several municipal facilities before landing on Iron Horse.

“We decided to present a proposal that is a really good fit in terms of payback, but it’s not too big of a system,” Potvin told council. “The Iron Horse really fits that scenario, and there’s also a ton of space there.”

And on paper, the campground’s power use makes for an interesting fit.

The numbers behind the proposal

Iron Horse Campground currently has an annual electricity bill of approximately $16,336, according to 12 months of actual bills reviewed by Green Amp.

The proposed 64.48-kW system is projected to generate 75,739 kWh per year, equivalent to about 103 percent of the campground’s current annual electricity consumption.

That doesn’t mean the power bill disappears.

Green Amp projects the annual bill would fall to approximately $1,933, resulting in about $14,403 in electricity savings during the first year. Another estimated $3,000 would come from the sale of carbon credits, bringing the projected first-year benefit to $17,403.

Under Green Amp’s financial model, the project reaches break-even in approximately 7.4 years and generates an estimated $895,984 in net benefit over 25 years. Those projections rely on several assumptions, including electricity costs increasing 7.3 per cent annually and the ability to sell surplus power at 35 cents per kWh. Green Amp notes that it reviews the export rate quarterly.

Jeffery told council the campground’s seasonal power use is one reason the site works well.

“This graph explains why the Iron Horse Campground is such a good fit for a solar option because it’s opposite of most facilities,” Jeffery said.

Unlike an arena, which draws heavily on electricity during the winter months when solar production is lower, the campground uses little electricity then.

“It’s still producing credits in those winter months,” Jeffery said.

Council’s bigger question: where do the panels go?

Council spent far more time discussing the proposed location than debating the merits of solar itself.

Green Amp’s preliminary design places four rows of 26 panels east of the campground pond. The proposal also shows the array’s relationship to the surrounding tree line and accounts for shading in its production modelling.

But councillors questioned whether that land may be needed down the road.

Discussion touched on future campground expansion, parking, a potential Iron Horse Trail staging area, previous road concepts and possible future changes to the nearby highway.

Councillor Nathan Rosychuk also raised security concerns because the campground and fish pond area are so accessible to the public.

“That’s a very public area with campground and fish pond,” Rosychuk said, asking about options to protect the equipment.

Potvin said fencing could be incorporated into the project and electrical components would be protected and lockable.

There is room to grow the system as well. While the proposal calls for 104 panels, Potvin told council the inverter could accommodate roughly 150 panels, providing some additional capacity if the campground expands.

Administration will now review existing plans for the property and consider whether another location could make more sense.

There are costs outside the $188,175 price

The proposal also includes costs that aren’t included in Green Amp’s quoted price.

The Town would be responsible for excavating and backfilling a 285-metre cable trench running from the solar array to the campground electrical room.

The price also excludes any utility service upgrades ATCO may require, along with structural or civil work outside Green Amp’s listed scope.

The proposed equipment includes a 10-year Green Amp workmanship warranty, while individual components carry separate manufacturer warranties. The 104 LONGi solar modules have a 12-year product warranty and 30-year performance warranty.

Could St. Paul do it this year?

Council did not approve the $188,175 expenditure Monday.

It did, however, tell administration not to park the idea until next year.

Following the presentation, council discussed whether the project could be accommodated within the Town’s 2026 capital program if money becomes available through savings or delays on other projects.

Councillor Maurice Brousseau was in favour of bringing it back sooner rather than later.

“I’d be in favour of you bringing it forward to RFD to have it looked at maybe in 2026,” Brousseau said. “I think something like this, we can move on and get it done and start saving money.”

Council ultimately passed a motion directing administration to bring the solar project back as a Request for Decision in 2026 if room can be found in the existing capital budget.

For now, administration has some homework: determine the best location, firm up the costs and see whether the dollars are there.

If they are, Iron Horse Campground could be where St. Paul’s solar plans get their start.