Oswego is looking at a community solar program as a way for residents to reduce their electricity costs and support clean energy.
More Top Picks Overlap
Oswego trustees as a committee-of-the whole recently received information about a proposed voluntary option for residents to cut electric bills without the need to install solar panels on homes.
Residents in the program would subscribe to a solar farm and receive monthly net metering credits on their electric bills, village officials said.
“Ultimately residents would reduce electric costs and support green energy,” Oswego administrative intern Corey Incandela said in his report to trustees.
The Northern Illinois Municipal Electric Collaborative has managed the village’s electric aggregation program, which is an “opt-out” program.
With the assistance of the collaborative, staff identified two potential community solar suppliers who have worked with other municipalities in Illinois who could be part of the proposed Oswego solar program.
“Unlike the village’s electric aggregation program, this would be an opt-in program. There would be no cost to residents and the village would not incur costs,” Incandela told trustees.
Residents would be able to participate in the program if they chose to, officials said.
Northern Illinois Municipal Electric Collaborative energy consultant Adam Hoover said they have been working with the village since 2007. Consultants assist the village with two different programs, the municipal aggregation program and the purchase of electricity for water pumping stations.
While the village has saved in its electricity costs, this new program is different, Hoover said.
“Community Solar is a new Illinois-backed program. Illinois’ goal is to be 100% green by 2045,” Hoover said. “It allows residents and small businesses to purchase solar energy without having to install solar panels.”
Residents would realistically save about 12% on their electric bills if they took part in the program, he said.
“Usually in our experience we see 3% to 5% of residents join. It’s not a huge percentage, but the more that do join the better,” he said of the program.
The village may have to hold-off on selecting a supplier, the energy broker said.
“There would be no availability right now. The solar fields are packed,” he said, adding availability is on a first-come, first-serve basis.
If village trustees are interested in the community solar program, more fields could potentially open up in the fall, he said.
“We have one other municipality in the waiting. I feel comfortable to say you guys would be good to go by the end of the year,” Hoover said.
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.