Naperville honored for green efforts

Naperville has won a gold for going green.

The city is being inducted into the National, Illinois and Chicago Environmental Halls of Fame for its Renewable Energy program.

"It shows we are aware of the need to promote renewable energy and attributes of renewable energy - cleaner air, less dependence on foreign oil, the fact that we need to green America and also the educational value in our schools," said Allan Poole, director of public utilities.

The Renewable Energy program started in 2006 as a partnership with Community Energy, Inc. to purchase energy that comes from such nonpolluting sources as wind, water and sun.

Poole said he and other city employees were among the first customers. Today, about 8.5 percent of the city's utility customers participate.

"It's a good program, and it speaks to the citizens of Naperville. We are in a high-tech corridor, a lot of research industries ... and I think the clientele understands renewable energy and has really been supportive of it," Poole said.

Those who take part pay an additional $5 per month for 200 kilowatt hours of energy. Larger packages are also available.

Poole said the electrons generated by wind energy don't go directly into a subscriber's home, but into the local electric grid, meaning less fossil fuels are needed for the grid. The charge to customers comes from the higher production costs over using fossil fuels. For the city, the program is cost-neutral.

The city's 4,328 households signed up for the program is equivalent to removing 3,574 cars from the road or planting more than 1.6 million trees. Lesley McCain of Community Energy encouraged residents and businesses alike to join.

"It supports the building of renewable energy here in Illinois which secures our energy future in our energy grid, helps farmers with extra revenue stream because the land is leased by wind farms and it provides economic benefits to communities where wind farms are built," she said.

Being inducted into the hall of fame is the city's fourth award for the program. A 16-by-20-inch framed exhibit about Naperville's program will be part of the hall.

Naperville will be inducted during a ceremony in Chicago from Nov. 20 to 22, when it will be able to share its vision on how the country can expand its use of renewable energy.

For more information about joining the city's Renewable Energy program visit naperville.il.us/renewable.aspx or call (630) 281-0184.