The Colusa County Board of Supervisors is proceeding with a $2.2 million plan to install energy-efficient components in the countys old buildings.
The county has worked with Aricon Energy, Inc. since 2018 to develop a comprehensive energy efficiency infrastructure improvement/retrofit project, utilizing a loan from the California Energy Commissions Energy Conservation Assistance Act Program, said Wendy Tyler, county administrative officer.
The county has applied for a $1.6 loan, which Tyler expects to be approved in May.
” The balance will come from a variety of county development impact fees,” she said.
The county intends to replace five outdated HVAC systems at the courthouse and hall of records, an LED lighting retrofit and fixture replacements at the courthouse annex building.
The Oak Street courthouse annex is also slated to get a carport mounted solar energy generating system in the parking lot. Health and Human Services will get a rooftop solar generating system, as well as LED upgrade of fixtures when the county replaces both the interior and exterior lights.
The proposed array system at HHS has been sized to offset 97 percent of post-project electricity consumption, officials said. The solar generating project at the courthouse annex anticipates a 94 percent offset in electricity costs post project.
Behavioral Health, on Carson St, will also get an 84kw roof solar project that should offset about 91 percent of post-project energy consumption.
The Colusa County Librarys main branch in Colusa will get LED lighting retrofits with fixture updates, as well as replacement of five HVAC systems and new ductwork. The Williams branch will get LED lighting upgrades and fixture replacements for both interior and exterior lights.
Similar energy projects are slated for the Colusa County Road Department yard, in Williams, which includes a 22kW roof-mounted solar project.
The Plaza Building, which houses the building department, Public Works, and Community Development, will get a HVAC overhaul and LED retrofit of exterior and interior lights.
Tyler said the county expects to pay for the loan in time on the savings the county can expect from the projects.
” It will eventually pay for itself,” she said. –