- April 20, 2024
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The Flagler County Board of County Commissioners heard a presentation Monday, May 7 from Michelle Simon, program manager at Scheider Electric, a company that conducts energy-saving research in return for guaranteed cost-savings for small governments.
“We have been making a number of (energy) improvements,” County Administrator Craig Coffey told the board, citing $5,000 monthly savings at the courthouse and retrofitted lighting at the county Fairgrounds. But, in an effort to further reduce costs, Schieder Electric could be hired to develop an energy-savings plan by contracting the installation of new, more efficient systems.
The best part, Coffey said: the costs of the upgrades are guaranteed by the company. Then the county would reap the benefits of efficiency savings down the line.
Commissioner Peterson was hesitant to endorse the work, however, since a return on investment could take as long as 15 years.
The rest of the board was in support, though. According to Simon, even if the savings don’t come through — which has happened from time to time in the company’s 100-plus-year lifespan — Schneider would cut the county a check to cover its initial investment.
“You don’t have a risk here, because it’s guaranteed payback,” Coffey added.
According to the company’s projections, it aims to save organizations 10% to 30% of its energy expenditures, which could then be put back into capital and infrastructure improvements. In conducting preliminary assessments on the Government Services Building, the prison and other facilities, Simon pointed out that Emergency Operations Center’s energy use, for example, is currently running at 100% capacity 61.5% of the time.
That can be reduced, she said.
Schneider will come back to the commission with an in-depth report, including potential savings figures, at a later date.
Commissioner Milissa Holland also has plans to get the municipalities in on the deal if the county chooses to sign with Schneider.
