Colorado nature library cuts electric bills with rooftop solar panels

If you are tired of watching your monthly electric bill climb higher and higher, listen to how one library in Colorado is beating the system. Namaste Solar, a worker-owned solar contractor based in Colorado, just finished putting a massive rooftop solar array on the Anythink Nature Library in Colorado, which is the state's first public nature library operated by the Rangeview Library District. The new system packs 203.5 kilowatts of solar power — enough clean energy to generate about half of the entire facility's electricity right from the sunshine hitting the roof. Mark Fink, executive director of Anythink Libraries, says the green upgrade was a must to match the property's eco-friendly mission. Mark Fink stated, "Solar was a natural extension of that vision." The project is projected to save the Rangeview Library District more than $1 million over its lifetime by slashing utility bills and cashing in on federal clean energy incentives. Rachel Mountain, co-owner and director of commercial sales at Namaste Solar, notes that smart financing and tax perks let groups wipe out upfront costs entirely. Rachel Mountain explained, "Many organizations can reduce or even eliminate upfront costs while creating long-term financial value." Sitting on a 15-acre campus inside the 140-acre Aylor Open Lands, the library also runs on geothermal heating and cooling to lock in even lower utility costs. Lower overhead for them means more cash stays in the local budget for community programs instead of going straight to the power company. Here is what this means for you and your business bottom line when you look at your own warehouse or store roof. Commercial solar isn't just for tree-huggers anymore, because locking in your electricity rates with panels keeps the utility company from draining your cash flow every summer. If a public library can shave a cool $1 million off its bills, your building might be sitting on a goldmine of utility savings waiting to be tapped. Call up a commercial solar installer this week and ask what federal tax incentives can do for your roof before the rules change.