State committee green lights energy plan for schools

SPRINGFIELD - Suburban school districts could save millions in energy costs under a plan nearing completion in the General Assembly.

The Senate Energy Committee approved a proposal Thursday that would allow school districts to build their own wind turbines, solar panels or similar renewable energy sites in order to make up for their own energy costs to providers such as ComEd or Ameren.

The proposal has been almost two years in the making, according to state Rep. Fred Crespo, a Democrat from Hoffman Estates and the proposal's lead sponsor.

Although originally designed to help a trio of suburban school districts, Crespo said the proposal isn't limited to one area. He estimated the proposal would save the original three districts an estimated $2 million a year for the 30-year life span of the project.

"So obviously this is a big, big way to save," Crespo said. "Because of what the school districts - are facing with budget cuts from underfunding, I got excited about this, because here you have three school districts that were thinking outside the box."

Specifically, Carpentersville-based Community Unit District 300, Keeneyville Elementary District 20 in Hanover Park and Prospect Heights Elementary District 23 formed a consortium last year to build a 20-megawatt wind farm in Stark County.

Crespo said the project would take advantage of federal incentives that would subsidize the upfront cost of the wind farm.

The proposal still awaits approval from the Senate and the governor. Crespo said the project would be up and running roughly 18 months after it's signed into law.

"So obviously time is of the essence here and now," Crespo said.