The City of Marquette is entertaining a solar powered well project

After attending the Clayton County Energy District’s (CCED), May 2018, Solar Power for Non-Taxable Entities Workshop Marquette City Clerk Bonnie Basemann proposed to the Marquette City Council, a “small” solar power project for one of their four public wells. The clean energy project as outlined will positively affect Marquette’s economy as well as benefit the environment.
After some months of study, the city of Marquette, IA appears to be moving forward on a solar powered well project. The targeted “Well #4” would be powered by a 36.2 kW system, which will offset 83% of the well’s energy demand generating 46,500 Kwh/year. The construction cost is approx $76,000 with 10.2 yr payback period. In 25 years the net cash gain is $173,000 with a 11% rate of return on investment.
CCED Solar Contractor Network Members, Atwood Electric and Eagle Point Solar presented to the council at the 9/11/18 meeting.
By consuming these kWh hours from renewable energy rather than receiving from the utility through coal fire production, the impact would be 954 tons of carbon dioxide being eliminated from town’s carbon footprint. This reduction in CO2 is the equivalent of:Planting 22,228 Trees

• Driving reduced by 1,908,000 auto miles or 97,308 gallons of gasoline
• Recycling 3,015 tons of waste instead of sending it to a landfill
• Displacing CO2 emissions from the annual electric use of 108 homes
• 929,598 pounds (464.8 tons) of coal burned
• Avoid the use of up to 23,264,000 gallons of water by thermoelectric power plants