Payback period for school's solar panels is too high

The Jan. 14 article, "School solar panels generating power, excitement," doesn't mention a payback period. Using the figures in the article, sunshine and daylight percentages available on the Internet, it comes out to 20-plus years. I think most private businesses expect a four-year payback. Does that mean public institutions are not accountable or held to a lesser standard?

I would expect some kind of coverage of the economic benefit of an investment, but that doesn't seem to be a criteria for government projects. That is why the government requires the utility to pay three times what the electricity is worth, which makes everyone else's cost higher. It is a redistribution of wealth equally spread across the electric grid.

I can imagine people hate that kind of reporting because it doesn't make anyone feel good.

- Mark Neiner, Munster