Cary School District 26 plans to add solar panels to the roofs of three schools with a goal to have them installed before financial incentives end with the passage of the “Big Beautiful Bill” backed by President Donald Trump.

Solar panels will be at Oak Knoll Early Childhood, Briargate Elementary and Cary Junior High School.

The school board unanimously approved the solar panels for a total cost of almost $3.4 million.

The district will receive almost $2.2 million in rebates a year after installation, with an addition $1.2 million in rebates from the state of Illinois over the next 20 years, according to district documents.

Allied Facility Partners also will be responsible for Cary Junior High’s roof replacement and repairs at an estimated cost of just more than $1.9 million. That project will be funded through the a $20 million bond sale that was approved by voters last year.

“This is below the estimate we provided during our referendum campaign and frees up referendum funds to be spent on other capital projects,” district staff said in documents.

The solar panel costs will be funded through “maturing investments,” according to district documents.

Allied representatives predict that the Investment Tax Credits could add up to almost $1.7 million for the solar system installation. With all of the incentives combined, the district’s total out-of-pocket costs is predicted to be less than $289,000.

“I’m excited about the fact that we will be cash-positive on this at year nine,” board President Deanna Darling said. “That’s huge.”

Time is dwindling on financial incentives that will end with the passing of federal “Big Beautiful Bill.” The legislation, which was officially signed into law in July, calls for the end of Energy Efficient Commercial Building tax deductions.

To be eligible for Investment Tax Credits, the projects must start before July 4 of next year, Allied representatives said.

Projects starting after Dec. 31 of this year also will be subject to financial penalties on using equipment that is not made domestically.

The district spent more than $461,680 in energy costs during the last school year, prompting staff to look into energy- and money-saving options, according to district documents.

The board heard presentations from solar companies Ameresco and Allied Facility Partners at recent committee meetings before deciding to go forward with Allied.

Ameresco’s pitch indicated that, after all rebates and credits, the total for the three schools to be about $1.3 million, with upfront costs at about $5.3 million.

Allied Facility Partners is the company behind the recently installed solar panels on the roof of Crystal Lake-based Community High School District 155’s Prairie Ridge High School, the largest in the greater Crystal Lake area, Superintendent Neil Lesinski said in a district video.