City seeks solar panels for roofs, parking lots (The Salem News 11/22/18)

BEVERLY — The city is looking to put solar panels on multiple city-owned parking lots and rooftops in an effort to save on energy costs and create a "greener carbon footprint" over the next two decades.
The panels would be installed on the roof and in parking lots at the high school and middle school, on the roofs of City Hall and the Senior Center, and in parking lots at the McPherson Youth Center and Pond Street.
The plan also calls for replacing most of the solar panels at Greenergy Park, the historic solar array on the hill next to the high school.
"We're trying to host as much solar as we feasibly can," Mayor Mike Cahill said. "We want to be a host for clean renewable energy."
The plan is laid out in a request for proposals issued by the city last week. A private developer would install, own and maintain the solar systems. The city would make money through lease payments from the developer over 20 years and by purchasing energy generated by the solar panels at lower costs.
The city already has solar panels on the roof of the high school. This plan would call for more panels on the cafeteria, as well as canopy-style solar arrays in the high school parking lots. (read more)