Missoula County recognizes the value of solar energy and is committed to increasing residential and commercial access to solar resources. In recognition of the county’s efforts to make it easier, and more affordable to install solar energy systems, Missoula County has been awarded SolSmart Gold Designation. SolSmart is a U.S. Department of Energy program that recognizes communities that are "open for solar business." In addition to encouraging county residents and businesses to consider solar energy, Missoula County is actively pursuing solar installations on county-owned buildings.
Missoula County is also a proud participant in the three community solar projects that have been developed by the Missoula Electric Cooperative in Lolo, Frenchtown and Bonner.
Missoula County Detention Facility
The solar array at the Missoula County Detention Facility, the largest rooftop array in the state, consists of 1,152 solar panels and has a total capacity of 432 kilowatts, which is enough to power about 50 households. The array was installed by OnSite Energy in 2021.
The array produces about 20% of the electricity used at the Detention Facility. Overall, it is expected to produce more than 11,000,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity over its lifetime. The solar panels have a 25-year warranty.
FAQs
The County is not purchasing the array upfront. It was installed through a public/private partnership where the array is owned by a private investor, and the County will pay the investor for the power produced. This partnership allows the private investor to take advantage of a federal solar tax credit (worth 26% of the cost of the array), reducing costs to the County. After five years, the County plans to buy the array from the investor at a depreciated rate. Overall, the County expects to save nearly $400,000 over the 25-year lifetime of the solar array compared to what we would have otherwise paid in electricity bills at the Detention Facility.
The County decided to install this solar array to save money, to reduce the County’s contribution to climate change and to advance the County’s goals of carbon neutrality in government operations and 100% clean electricity for the Missoula urban area.
The solar array will produce about four times as much electricity in the sunny summer months compared to the winter. On average, the array will produce about 20% of the electricity used at the Detention Facility over the course of the year.
