There are two convincing “green” arguments for adding solar power to the energy mix at St Joseph schools.

The system could reduce costs by millions of dollars and emissions by tons of carbon.

The St Joseph Board of Education on Friday agreed to a massive installation effort with Brightergy LLC, By June the company will rig up to 39 school district factilities with 25 kilowatt solar power systems. Officials say the project will save money and be good for the environment.

The economic argument is fairly simple: solar panels can produce electricity at about half the cost of kilowatts delivered by power utilities.

For 2012 the average residential cost is expected to be just under 12 cents per kilo-watt hour, which would be up slightly from 2011. Commercial and industrial rates are lower. The US Energy Information Administration estimates the average price per kilowatt/hour was 10.2¢ among commercial enterprises and 6.8¢/kwh for industry.

Brightergy officials told the St Joe school board on Friday that their systems could deliver electricity to our schools for about a nickel per kilowatt hour, roughly half the overall average (9.9¢/kwh).

That could work out to a savings of $3,450,261 if the districts remains with Brightergy for the full 20 year term of the agreement.

That’s one “green” argument, and here’s another. The power generated by the solar panels would otherwise come from coal-fired electrical power plants operated by Kansas City Power and Light. School district officials say the power produced locally would represent about 52,000 pounds per year of carbon emissions from the plants.

Engineers from Brightergy will assess each facility in the district, to make sure each is appropriate for the installation. It is not yet clear if the school district’s historic downtown headquarters will get the solar treatment.

To meet deadlines set by regulators and KCP&L, the district hopes to have the project completed by June 30.