The City of Eureka Springs had been discussing the potential for solar for several years prior to Arkansas’s new solar laws being written. In search of ways to reduce utility spending at their wastewater facility and city offices, city officials considered several proposals to combine the cost savings of energy efficiency with renewable energy. With the passage of the Solar Access Act (Act 464) in 2019, the would-be project’s economics significantly improved, and the city executed an agreement with Entegrity in early February of the same year.
The project includes LED lighting upgrades for the police and fire stations, public works office, auditorium, wastewater treatment plant, and Lake Leatherwood Ballfield, as well as HVAC upgrades and water-saving measures. Eureka Springs will also purchase solar energy, resulting in lifetime savings of more than $750,000.
