Salt Lake City Mayor Jackie Biskupski announced Thursday that Utah’s capital city has doubled the number of municipal buildings with solar panels.
A total of 756 solar panels were installed at seven facilities, including five fire stations, at a cost of $500,000 that is expected to be paid back through utility savings.
A city news release said the panels will provide anywhere between 17 and 92 percent of electricity needs at Fire Stations 1, 4, 7, 10 and 13, as well as the Regional Athletic Complex and the Pioneer Police Precinct.
Over their 25-year warrantied lifespan, the panels would generate the electricity equivalent to burning 8 million pounds of coal, the city said in a news release.
“Salt Lake City is committed to powering our government operations, and ultimately the whole community, with 100 percent renewable energy,” Biskupski said in a statement.
Salt Lake City now generates solar energy at a total of 14 municipal facilities. Between those solar panels and the city’s enrollment in Rocky Mountain Power’s subscriber solar program, the city expects to meet 12 percent of its municipal energy needs.
For more information on Salt Lake City’s energy and carbon reduction goals, visit www.slcgreen.com/climatepositive.