Kane committee initiates solar project to reduce energy costs at Judicial Center, jail

GENEVA – Kane County is poised to launch itself into a major solar project to reduce its electricity costs, according to a presentation Tuesday night at a town hall meeting at the Government Center Boardroom.

The proposal is to install solar panels at the Kane County Judicial Center at the northeast corner of Peck and Bricher roads in Geneva that would serve the meters at the Kane County Judicial Center and jail and have a 25-year solar power purchase agreement, officials said.

“Nothing has been signed and sealed,“ Kane County Energy and Environment Committee Chair Mavis Bates, D-Aurora, said. “It’s still a proposal.”

The idea originated at Bates’ committee in April and after reviewing eight informal bid proposals, Grne Solar was ranked highest, Kane County Resource Management Coordinator Ivy Klee said.

The project hinges on the General Assembly passing an energy bill that will provide funding for the project, not costing the county anything other than energy savings, officials said.

Arnie Schramel of Progressive Energy Group, which helps companies and government agencies lower their energy costs, said the project would cost $4 million to $5 million to build.

“If there is no energy bill, it’s not possible to do the project,” Schramel said. “It’s not feasible.”

The savings in the first year is estimated at $198,000, after 25 years, it is estimated at nearly $5 million.

But without support from an energy bill, Schramel said the first year savings would turn into a $50,000 deficit.

Progressive Energy Group has consulted on other government projects, such as a similar solar installation at the Kendall County Judicial Center and jail, the Fox Metro Water Reclamation District, the Plano Sanitary District and over 25 other solar installations in Northern Illinois.

The Kendall County project produces enough electricity to provide 408 homes with a year of electricity and more than 273,000 cell phone charges; the Fox Metro Water Reclamation District solar project produces enough electricity for 511 homes and more than 342,000 cell phone charges, according to the company’s information.

Bates said that a purchase power agreement – presumably with Grne Solar – means the county would buy its energy from Grne Solar, which would supply the energy.

Eric Peterman, CEO of Grne Solar, said the company, as the solar vendor, would do all the maintenance of the solar panels for its 25-year life.

As the company is nearing its 10th year in business, Peterman said, “We started solar before solar was cool.”

One complaint came from Paul and Cherlyn Cameron, of the 3800 block of Ridge Pointe Drive, who said the view from their house will be of the solar farm, rather than of the berm that is currently on the county’s property.

Paul Cameron said it would impact 25 to 30 homes on Bricher Road and in the Prairie Ridge and Fisher Farms residential developments.

“At a minimum, more thought should be given to the landscape,” Paul Cameron said.

“It seems like a better way to resolve this is to remove the berm as has been suggested by many of the people who called with comments tonight – and/or move the berm to become a physical barrier between all of us and where the panels were to be located on ground level,” Cameron said. “It’s bad enough they’re going to visible on the ground, let alone on top of the berm. That just doesn’t make sense.”

“We want to be good neighbors to everybody,” Bates said. “We will get back to you with our next steps.”

Bates said the work toward this solar project fulfills the county’s environmental plans to facilitate smart grid technology and a renewable energy infrastructure.

“Kane County has a long history of environmental stewardship,” Bates said.

“Renewable energy – it means we don’t have to dig any coal and we don’t have to pump any oil out of the ground. All we do is capture the sunshine that comes every day form the sun,” Bates said. “By encouraging renewable energy, we can save money by reducing energy costs and help the environment and our people by reducing pollution from fossil fuels.”

Reducing reliance on fossil fuels will also counter the impact of climate change, she said.

The proposal – along with public comments and feedback – will first go to the Administration Committee on Aug. 11, then to Environmental and Energy on Aug. 13, and then to the Executive Committee on Sept. 8, and then to the County Board on Sept. 14, officials said.

Klee said the meeting was recorded and will be posted on the county’s website on Wednesday.