Wheeling talks green

Wheeling residents may start seeing more solar panels and wind turbines around town as the village board makes efforts to become more environmentally friendly.

The board this week heard a presentation from Pure Energy Alternatives, a Northbrook-based group that works with solar power and other energy forms. The group has helped Devon Bank put in turbines at its building so that the company can harness wind energy.

Bernie Schmidt said his company has worked with other municipalities and businesses to help them use solar and wind power.

"It's not inexpensive, but there are many, many ways to pay for this," he said, pointing to tax credits and grants.

Village President Dean Argiris said the new federal administration seems to back these types of initiatives as well, meaning more funding would likely be available for towns and businesses that want to use solar panels and turbines.

He said the village has been looking at using alternatives while building the new public works headquarters and retrofitting the current village hall for the police department. Wheeling will be getting a new village hall in March that is already using some green technology, such as white roofs that reflect sunlight and make less air conditioning necessary.

Trustee Pat Horcher also pointed out Monday that there are several businesses within minutes of each other in town that could potentially make and sell wind turbines if they worked together.

He encouraged trying to get those businesses together so that the village could buy locally and benefit from growth in the industry.

Argiris said the village is also looking at ordinances that would provide tax credits from Wheeling to businesses that pursue green initiatives. Schmidt said his company has helped towns pursue this avenue as well.

"We want to take the lead on some of this stuff," Argiris said.