During the March Moorhead School Board meeting, Moorhead Public Service presented Moorhead Area Public Schools with a check for $45,464. This money is part of the “Bright Energy Solutions” program that rewards homeowners, businesses and contractors for energy-efficient installations.
MPS general manager Travis Schmidt presented the check to Steve Moore, MAPS executive director of operations and emergency management and Scott Steffes, chairman of the Moorhead school board.
“We’ve done a lot in collaborating with Moorhead Area Public Schools over the past few years,” said Schmidt, “including Solar for Schools. Steve gives us a call about upcoming projects and we do our best to find a way to create energy efficiencies for the district.”
The district received this check as a result of the various energy efficient installations related to Phase I of the new Moorhead High School, which opened in January 2024. Moore noted during the board meeting that the check will go back into the district’s general fund.
Moore also highlighted a number of upcoming initiatives that will further enhance the district’s energy efficiency, which will in turn save more taxpayer money. The projects announced include HVAC controls at Horizon Middle School West and Dorothy Dodds Elementary, along with a future plan to retrofit all the fluorescent lighting with LED lighting at Horizon Middle School East.
“We’re always looking for ways to do things more efficiently,” explained Moore. “Targeting energy savings helps us cut down on the district’s estimated $3 million annual utility bill. If we save 10% of that bill, that’s $300,000 that goes back into the general fund to fund other things.”
Managed by Missouri River Energy Services, the parent company of MPS, the Bright Energy Solutions program has paid over $30 million dollars in rebates to homeowners, businesses and contractors. To learn more about the program, visit the Bright Energy Solutions website at https://www.brightenergysolutions.com/.