LCPS secures $3.5 million in state grants for solar projects at four schools
Las Cruces Public Schools outlines solar parking canopy projects at four campuses, including a 393-panel system expected to offset Conlee Community Elementary School's electricity use.
State-funded projects at three elementary schools and Las Cruces High could reduce utility expenses, but the district will be responsible for ongoing maintenance
Damien Willis, Organ Mountain News
LAS CRUCES - Las Cruces Public Schools has received approval for $3.5 million in state solar grants for projects at four campuses, with three elementary schools awarded $1 million apiece and Las Cruces High School awarded $500,000.
The funding comes through the New Mexico Finance Authority's Local Solar Access Fund, according to a presentation by LCPS Chief of Operations Steve Rodriguez during the Oct. 20 Board of Education meeting.
Conlee Community Elementary School, Desert Bloom Elementary and Fairacres Elementary each were approved for $1 million, representing full funding for their proposed projects. Las Cruces High was approved for $500,000, representing partial funding.
The district expects the systems to reduce electricity expenses while providing covered parking. At Conlee alone, a proposed 393-panel solar array is projected to generate enough electricity annually to offset the school's entire electricity consumption.
Conlee project could offset entire year's electricity use
At Conlee, the district plans a 226-kilowatt solar installation consisting of 393 panels mounted on parking canopies.
Rodriguez told board members the system is projected to generate enough electricity over the course of a year to offset approximately 100% of the school's annual electricity consumption.
The district is also exploring how excess electricity generated by the system might be credited through El Paso Electric.
Rodriguez said similar elementary school projects could potentially offset their campuses' annual electricity consumption once completed.
At Las Cruces High School, the partially funded project is expected to offset approximately 60% of the campus's electricity use.
Those figures are projections, not documented savings from completed installations. The district did not present a comprehensive estimate of annual dollar savings for all four campuses during the discussion.
Why parking canopies instead of rooftop panels?
The district is pursuing solar parking structures rather than mounting panels on school roofs.
Rodriguez explained that many district roofs need replacement, making parking canopies a more practical option than installing solar equipment that might later need to be removed for roofing work.
The approach would allow campuses to generate electricity while adding shaded parking areas.
Rodriguez identified the four schools as part of an initial phase of the district's broader effort to improve the sustainability and efficiency of its facilities.
He also discussed the possibility of pursuing additional projects if the state funding program continues.
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Savings come with maintenance responsibilities
Although the grants are intended to cover project costs, LCPS will remain responsible for ongoing maintenance.
That distinction surfaced during questions from board members about the financial implications of the installations.
Rodriguez said modern solar panels generally have relatively modest maintenance needs but acknowledged that the district must plan for their long-term upkeep.
He also discussed battery storage as a possible future improvement that could help schools retain excess electricity and provide backup power during outages. Battery systems were discussed as a potential future option, not as an established component of the four projects.
Board member Ed Frank encouraged the district to develop estimates of long-term savings, saying the financial benefits could help make the case for continued state support.
Frank also suggested including future funding for the solar program among the district's legislative priorities, with the goal of redirecting money otherwise spent on utilities toward classroom needs.
District officials described the solar installations as part of a broader sustainability strategy that also includes electric school buses and charging infrastructure.
The Oct. 20 presentation was informational and required no board vote.
The district has not established, in the materials presented, a comprehensive timeline for completion of all four installations or the total amount of electricity cost savings expected once they are operational.
Damien Willis is founder and editor of Organ Mountain News. If you have a personal story to share or a lead we should follow up on, reach out at OrganMountainNews@gmail.com or connect with him on X at @damienwillis.
