THE FOLLOWING IS A NEWS-GAZETTE ARTICLE BY JENNIFER BAILEY
ABOVE: The Proposed solar project; with the main DACC entrance in the middle, and East Main Street running along the north side of the map.
DANVILLE — How Danville Area Community College’s campus and entrance area off East Main Street could look different in the future with a solar project remains to be seen.
The DACC board continued discussions on a proposed solar array project on Wednesday that could save the college a projected $120,000 the first year and around $7.2 million in a 25-year contract with Verde Solutions.
Where the solar arrays could possilby go has seen some tweaks.
A current proposed design shows three different arrays, on the northwest part of the open field along East Main Street between the DACC and VA entrance, closer to the VA, and also in part of the parking lot on the other side of the DACC entrance along East Main Street where it’s largely unused but also used for CDL driving practice.
DACC Interim President Randy Fletcher said these are possible options moving forward.
Fletcher said they shifted from having all the solar arrays in the large open field at the entrance of DACC.
“Well one of it is just the overall campus aesthetic,” Fletcher said of the reasonings for the changes. Now proposed is having a little over half of the land south of Main Street remain green space, with the western portion fenced and having the solar array.
“It will maintain really that appeal for a college, coming in on more of a pastoral type of look,” he said.
For the parking lot areas, part of which are torn up, DACC could relocate the CDL program throughout the community, Fletcher said. CDL is currently in the far solar array proposed east site, but the other part of the parking lot, east of the DACC entrance, for a solar array is underutilized from a campus standpoint, he added.
“This does reduce cost savings by about half but it does keep the overall campus intact,” Fletcher said of the solar project site compromise. The open green space will pretty much be preserved, he added.
Board members also asked about any other available property in the back of the campus and roof-top options, which officials say there’s not enough space; or city park land. DACC officials said one other area is on the east side near the new Hegeler building parking lot. Canopies over the faculty and staff parking lot adjacent to the larger field also was cost prohibitive.
The board also discussed the other benefits of a solar power purchase agreement for DACC of no capital investment, budget stability and sustainability.
Educational opportunities with on-campus solar include hands-on learning of a live, working solar system; real-time data monitoring for energy production; opportunities for engineering, environmental science and technology programs; business students can explore financial models; and career readiness in renewable energy.
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