West Cook News

The Solarize Chicagoland program has surpassed its goal for 2020, making it the second year in a row it has done so by receiving commitments to install over 580 kilowatts of solar power throughout 80 Chicago properties. 

Forty-five of the 80 properties in the program are located in Cook County, according to a press release from the county. The county is a co-sponsor for the program, which is designed to teach property owners basics of solar power. 

“When the program launched this year, we didn’t know exactly what it would look like,” CUB Environmental Outreach Coordinator Christina Uzzo said in the press release. “While the solar industry experienced a slow down earlier this year due to COVID, we are happy that we could modify the program to take place virtually and still get solar information out to so many homeowners in the Chicago area.”

The program helps to make solar power affordable while educating residents and offering discounts in Cook, Will, DuPage and Kane counties in Illinois. This year, 521 residents were educated through the program's free one-hour virtual session. 

“Over the last couple years my husband and I have really been thinking about our energy usage,” Cook County resident and participant Katie Aquino said. “When we first moved into our house we installed a smart thermostat and last year we bought an electric vehicle. The fact that Windfree was a local company taking part in a local program was a selling point when we were deciding which company to go with.”

Last year, the program had 124 properties participate, with 69 of them in Cook County. 

“Navigating the solar market can be intimidating,” MREA Solar Program Director Peter Murphy said. “Educating residents on the benefits of solar and helping them determine if solar is the right choice for their families or businesses has always been our top priority.”