Case Study: Howard County achieves near net-zero energy and utility cost savings with McKinstry

Cutting Solar PV Costs for Howard County in Arkansas

Howard County in Arkansas needed to find a way to reduce its energy costs and increase the resiliency of its facilities without placing a financial burden on taxpayers. The county lacked its own power generation and required significant maintenance and system upgrades. McKinstry identified this challenge and partnered with the county on an Energy Savings Performance Contract (ESPC) to address it.

McKinstry designed a budget-neutral ESPC that used guaranteed utility savings to fund facility upgrades and pay for a new 308kW solar PV array. This solution provided the county with its own renewable energy source, bringing it close to net-zero energy consumption. The project delivered significant cost savings, increased energy certainty for residents, and financed critical infrastructure improvements at zero additional cost to taxpayers.