The city of Tucker is set to have 133 solar panels installed on the roof of its recreation facility.
The project, approved by the City Council this week, is expected to generate 86% of the energy needed to power the Tucker Recreation Center on Lavista Road, according to a statement from the city. That could save Tucker an estimated $323,000 over the next 30 years, officials said.
The endeavor cost $165,000, but the city will fund some of the purchase through a $50,000 grant from the Georgia Environmental Finance Authority.
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“When we saw the cost savings of this project, as well as the impact to the environment, it just made sense,” Tucker Mayor Frank Auman said in a statement.
The panels are coming from German solar battery manufacturer sonnen. The company is a subsidiary of Shell and has its North American headquarters and manufacturing facility in Tucker.
The project marks Tucker’s first time utilizing solar energy since becoming a city in 2016. Officials said it will allow the recreation center to become an emergency operations center in the wake of widespread power outages, or a warming center on cold nights.
The Tucker Recreation Center normally hosts sports games, classes, community events, a summer camp program and other activities.
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