At the last Township Committee meeting last month, TC member Fred Profeta brought up the idea of placing solar panels or shingles on the main library roof.

No decisions were made. But the TC is likely to decide at Tuesday's meeting.

A new roof is expected to be placed on the library in the near future, a decision made last year.

But with a new top going in, Profeta had the idea of taking the opportunity to add a solar generating element of some kind. And with investors interested in leasing space for such an energy producer - in exchange for returning electricity to the township at a much lower rate - the idea made sense.

"It is more attractive for a municipality to effectively rent it out, a private entity pays for it and the town pays nothing," Profeta said this weekend. "The investors make money and can afford to provide electricity to the township cheaper."

The new police station on Springfield Avenue has solar panels that the township put in. They generate about 20% of the building's electricity.

But with the Historic Preservation
Committee offering concerns of how solar panels would affect the look of the library, the less-noticeable solar shingles are being considered.

Profeta said solar shingles are not as productive as panels. He also plans to propose allowing private entities to place solar elements of some kind on other municipal buildings, such as the Department of Public Works.

"It is an ideal candidate," he added. "It is a flat roof and no one will notice."

Tuesday's meeting is at 7:30 pm.