Explore solar in McHenry County Oct. 7
The Illinois Solar Energy Association will host the 11th annual Illinois Solar Tour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, that includes the solar array at the McHenry County College Shah Center in McHenry. Tour participants can drive by or park and take a look at the solar array close up at 4100 W. Shamrock Lane, just south of Centegra Hospital.
As a part of the National Solar Tour, solar-savvy home and business owners throughout the state will open their doors to show off their solar. This free open house type event allows attendees to view real-life examples of how their neighbors are harnessing the sun's energy to generate power, heat and slash monthly utility bills.
This self-guided tour has attracted more than 1,000 people throughout Illinois in recent years. The tour gives participants a direct perspective on the costs, processes, as well as the economic and environmental benefits of going solar. Solar in Illinois is poised for even more growth after the passing of new legislation, and the tour is a great way to learn how to take advantage of the opportunities available by using solar energy.
The solar array at the MCC Shah Center is the largest solar installation at a public institution in northern Illinois. The solar panels have been fully operational since 2014. The solar array was made possible through a $250,000 solar energy grant from the Illinois Green Economy Network and includes 336 panels, including four teaching panels. This array will supply approximately 50 percent of the power needed to run the Shah Center while providing the citizens of McHenry County with an estimated annual CO2 reduction of 75 tons per year. In addition, MCC instructors have incorporated the solar array into the Energy Resources class and other classes in the Earth Science Department.
Highlights of the solar array include an image gallery and timeline of installation, as well as an interactive dashboard, which is available to the community at www.buildingdashboard.com/clients/mchenry.
The Illinois Solar Tour is free and open to the public. With more than 130 host sites throughout the state, residents have the opportunity to visit other solar and/or geothermal installations in their neighborhood, including: 1300 Prairie Drive in Algonquin, 967 Barlina Road and 3860 Valley View Road, both in Crystal Lake, 8790 Shade Tree Circle in Lakewood, 4100 W. Shamrock Lane, the MCC Shah Center, in McHenry, and 717 N. Concord Drive in Woodstock.
Visit the tour's website to find sites to explore near you www.illinoissolartour.org. For more information about the solar array at MCC Shah Center, or other college-sponsored green initiatives, contact the MCC Sustainability Center at (815) 479-7765 or visit www.mchenry.edu/green.