Future Energy Jobs Act is focus of Fox Valley Sustainability Network energy forum
The Fox Valley Sustainability Network, a public/private sector initiative in the Fox Valley designed to create healthy, sustainable communities and a vibrant Fox Valley, announced that the Future Energy Jobs Act is the focus of its Energy Forum on Wednesday, June 21.
The Illinois General Assembly passed FEJA at the first of the year following negotiations between lawmakers, consumer advocates, environmental advocates and energy companies. The act includes a community solar program, revised renewable energy laws to stimulate investment in wind and solar power, a reduction in electricity waste by utilities; job creation connected to improvements in efficiency and renewable energy; low-income programs to help consumers cut utility bills and a Zero Emissions Credit.
The Fox Valley Sustainability Network Energy Forum will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Wednesday, June 21. Waubonsee Community College will host the Energy Forum in the APC Building, Room 110D at its Sugar Grove campus, off Route 47.
The forum will:
• discuss models for community solar for nonprofit institutions and local governments;
• seek to understand FEJA funding opportunities for local communities, including for low-to-moderate income families
• learn how to become a SolSmart registered community
• discover ways to partner with the National Renewable Energy Lab on Fox Valley solar.
Speakers include:
• Zach Greene, Project Manager, SolSmart;
• Mark Pruitt, Principal, Illinois Community Choice, Aggregation Network;
• Elizabeth Doris Brown, Principal Laboratory Program, Manager: State, Local, and Tribal Program, National Renewable Energy Laboratory;
• Ken Buckman, CEO, Rainy Investments.
The energy forum will also feature a sustainability tour of Waubonsee Community College's Sugar Grove campus and topic area discussions of specific project implementation related to water, food, waste, energy, economic development, transportation and green infrastructure.
The event is free and open to everyone, however, seating is limited. RSVP to Taylee Pardi at tpardi@a5inc.com.
For details, visit foxvalleysustainabilitynetwork.com.
The Fox Valley Sustainability Network is an outgrowth of GreenTown Aurora-Fox Valley, a sustainability event that brought together the public and private sectors to engage in best practices, learning and roundtable discussions about collaborating across communities on specific sustainability projects and goals.
The Fox Valley Sustainability Network is a project of Seven Generations Ahead, City of Aurora, Kane County, and a5 Branding and Digital in collaboration with Fox Valley communities and counties.