From solar panels on city hall, to Tech Club in school, Franken calls it ‘amazing’
By Terry Lehrke, News Editor
terry.lehrke@mcrecord.com
John Kramer of Sundial Solar, shows off the solar panels now installed on the roof of the Royalton City Complex.
The city of Royalton has been busy over the last couple of years, working to increase energy efficiency and cut costs, starting with its city buildings. The fruits of that work are now evident as solar panels were installed on the Royalton City Complex recently.
And that fits well into U.S. Senator Al Franken’s initiative “Back to Work Minnesota.” The idea being to create jobs by retrofitting public and private buildings to make them more energy efficient.
He made a stop in Royalton Nov. 12, to meet with city officials and partners in the project.
Royalton Mayor Andrea Lauer said the project was a culmination of Minnesota companies and partners working with the city.
The idea was initiated when the city learned of a 40 percent grant that was part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), through the Rural Renewable Energy Alliance (RREAL) out of Pine River. It was RREAL that installed the solar panels. The total cost of the project was estimated at $90,000.
The proposal the city put together was submitted to the Office of Energy Security.
A 30 percent tax credit for the project was also available through the federal government. Since the city cannot apply for federal tax credits, Sundial Solar, an LLC, agreed to lease the roof of the Royalton City Complex, which houses City Hall, the Police Department, the Royalton Library and the Royalton Museum. That company was able to take advantage of the federal tax credit.
The solar panels were manufactured by tenKsolar. Both companies call Minnesota home.
The city has an agreement with Sundial Solar, wherein the city doesn’t pay for electricity generated by the solar panels.
In addition, Lauer said the project is eligible for a $4,000 rebate from Minnesota Power.
Since the grant money and tax credit would not be coming in time to provide funding for the project, the Initiative Foundation of Little Falls provided gap financing for the project, using its “green” loan fund.
“I love the fact that it is public, it is private, it is a nonprofit, and in my world, that’s the best of everything,” said Lauer.
“Minnesota jobs, a Minnesota manufacturer, that’s what I like,” said Franken. “Then we’re spurring renewable energy and the energy industry and that’s something we want to promote as the people in the U.S., because we want to protect our environment and we also want to create and encourage this new kind of business and energy technology in the U.S. This is part of a competitive industrial strategy as well as a job creation program.”
Lauer said the city had to find creative ways of financing the project.
“It’s that whole piece of not only having an impact on this year’s budget, but on budgets for years to come,” said Lauer. “It is a part of that creative approach for us, because energy costs will continue to go up. For a city of our size, of any size, any way we can stretch our dollars, this will be an important piece on how to do that.”
“It’s obviously something we need to learn in Washington,” Franken joked.
The Senator was also impressed with the city’s initiative in installing LED traffic lights, which use only 10 watts per light, as opposed to 150 watts used by incandescent lights.
“It cut the cost of operating them in half,” said Lauer. “That to me is huge. Those are our bottom line dollars in our budget.”
U.S. Sen. Al Franken, DFL-Minnesota, spent time in Royalton Nov. 12, discussing the city’s retrofitting of solar panels on its City Complexl. He also heard about Tropheus, the solar boat built by Royalton High School students for competition in the Solar Regatta on Lake Phalen.
Royalton High School students Damian Lenarz, president of the Youth Energy Summit and Hunter Jasmer, a member of the high school Technology Club, shared with Franken the school’s solar boat project.
Jasmer told Franken the project had been initiated by students who had already graduated, and that the boat “Tropheus” had competed in the solar regatta on Lake Phalen the past couple of years.
The students are now working on an electric car project.
“It’s just been major publicity for Royalton, and it’s been excellent,” said Jasmer. “We’ve learned a lot from it.”
Franken said stepping up science, technology, engineering and math education will enable students to compete worldwide.
“To be in the global competition and to create prosperity — I love that you’re doing that,” said Franken. “It’s amazing.”
Lenarz not only thought Franken was “hilarious,” but said, “I think it’s great that somebody recognizes how much goes into putting this together. He didn’t come in and just say, ‘Whoop te-doo, just some kids putting something together.’”
Jasmer said he was proud his city had started moving in the direction it is with the solar panels and that Royalton was a “role model for towns.”
He said he was shocked that Franken visited the city, “Because who stops in a little town like Royalton?” he said.
Lauer agreed. “I was totally amazed myself, that Sen. Franken stopped in Royalton,” she said. “I really appreciated the fact that he would come to see us; to see a small town and what we’re doing.”
Pictured at top right Barb Gangl, left, a member of the Museum Board, tells Franken the story of the 1902 W.S. Nott steamer used by the Royalton Fire Department on display at the museum.
Lauer said she hoped his visit to Royalton would help other small towns as well.
“I really hope when he goes back to Washington, that legislation can be enacted to help other towns achieve some of the things that we’ve done, and that if there are other projects we want to do, there will be assistance,” she said. “A small city cannot do a project like this without a grant, low interest loan or something to help us.”
Franken also took time to visit the city’s library and museum.
