By GARRETT SAGER
Hays Post

In an effort to save money and “go green,” Bank of Hays, 1000 W. 27th, is building a solar panel carport.

“I’ve always been intrigued about the going green aspect,” said John Clarke, president of Bank of Hays. “Ever since we built the building, I’ve been thinking about this.”

The carport will have 15 vehicle bays for employees with 176 solar panels. The solar panels will produce 47 kilowatts of power for the bank, which will be enough to supply the bank with half of its needed energy.

“The long run is to save money,” Clarke said.

The solar project itself will cost upwards of $200,000, but it is projected to pay itself off in seven years, he added.

“The projection we got said seven years, but that does not factor in the projected increases in utility rates,” Clarke said.

According to Clarke, the bank should save $8,000 in the first year and, by year 20, the bank could be saving $20,000 and will keep three million pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere over the next 25 years.

“We feel like at this time the project makes economic sense,” Clarke said.

The solar panels have a life expectancy of 25 years and Clarke has been reassured that they can withstand softball-size hail.

Clarke began looking into the project two years ago. He originally looked at putting solar panels on the roof of the bank, but the weight the panels would not work with the roof.

He began looking at solar businesses in the Denver area, but rested on Cromwell Solar out of Lawrence.

Cromwell is largest and oldest solar installation firm in the Kansas region and has experience in residential and commercial design.

The project is still in the early stages as the solar panels have to be added, but Cromwell will begin adding in the solar panels in two weeks, Clarke said.

Once the installation process of the solar panels begins, it should take three or four days to finish that portion of the project. The whole carport should be completed in the next month.