Solar energy provider makes pitch to Marseilles

Community Solar, run by Arcadia Power, presented the pitch of a community solar farm in Marseilles to the City Council last Wednesday, which could offer a 10% savings to residents on their Ameren bill.

Diane Elkins, representing Community Solar, said it’s similar to a community garden without the actual need to build a solar farm.

“There’s already developed plots that are available to your residents to go into producing enough kilowatt hours set aside for your residents,” Elkins said. “It’s like a garden but for solar, and it will bring the same amount of energy from a local solar plant.”

Elkins said this program isn’t the kind where representatives will be going around knocking on doors. Instead, everything works through the mail. The only change for residents would be the switch to using green energy while using the same amount of power.

Mayor Jim Hollenbeck said the city is going to have lawyers look into a memorandum of understanding to allow Community Solar to work with Marseilles and the council can make a decision at a later meeting.