Harris County to invest $10.1M in solar panel project for libraries, community centers

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas -- Harris County is one step closer to launching a $10.1 million pilot project to install solar panels at libraries and community centers following a unanimous vote by Harris County Commissioners on Jan. 9.

What's happening?

Harris County's two-phase Distributed Energy Resources pilot aims to make county facilities "less reliant on the electricity grid" and more resistant to power outages during weather events, according to Jan. 9 meeting documents. The project calls for solar panels, battery storage and dual-port electric vehicle charging stations to be installed at 16 community facilities.

According to meeting documents, construction on Phase I of the energy pilot is slated to begin in January and wrap up by the first quarter of 2026, with locations including:

• Lincoln Park Community Center in Houston

• Finnigan Community Center in Houston

• Bay Area Community Center in Seabrook

• Almendarez Community Center in Houston

• Trini Mendenhall Community Center in Houston

• George H.W. Bush Community Center in Spring

• Steve Radack Community Center in west Houston

• Bayland Community Center in Houston

For Phase II, evaluation and design is expected to continue throughout 2025 with construction scheduled to wrap up by the first quarter of 2027, according to meeting documents. The Phase II locations are:

• Adair Community Center in south Houston

• Health Care Annex Cavalcade Community Center in Houston

• Challenger Seven Center/Park in Webster

• Aldine Branch Library in Houston

• Baldwin Boettcher Branch Library in Humble

• Barrett Station Community Center in Crosby

• Weekley Community Center in Cypress

• Katy Branch Library in Katy

Funding the project

County commissioners unanimously approved a final investment memo for the project Jan. 9.

Commercial Paper funding-which is expected to be repaid through "bonds, budgetary means or pay-as-you-go sources" within the next three fiscal years-will make up $3.7 million of this project's funding, according to meeting documents.

Meanwhile, county leaders anticipate a return on investment over time for the project due to energy generated at the sites, according to meeting documents.

The backstory

Harris County commissioners were first presented the Distributed Energy Resources pilot in February 2022, according to meeting documents. Metco Engineering, Inc. was approved to install the energy systems at Precinct 2 and 3 community centers and libraries on Sept. 14.