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Streamwood Park District expecting big return on solar energy investment at Park Place

Posted August 05, 2026 3:48 pm

Eric Peterson

ComEd presented the Streamwood Park District with a $94,695 rebate check Tuesday for its investment in a solar energy installation on the roof of the Park Place Family Recreation Center.

That payment brought ComEd’s Distributed Generation program across the $350 million threshold in rebates and incentives for customers who’ve assisted in providing 1.8 gigawatts of electricity from solar, wind and battery systems over the past seven years.

“Streamwood Park District’s continued investment in solar demonstrates that the variety of clean energy rebates and incentives successfully encourages customers to pursue cost-saving, sustainable energy installations that benefit the environment and reduce monthly bills,” ComEd Vice President of Strategy and Energy Policy Andy Plenge said. “The Streamwood community will benefit from this investment for decades.”

The park district expects to save more than $50,000 annually, for a $1 million return on its $800,000 investment over the solar installation’s 20-year life span.

In addition to the rooftop array completed last November, the park district leases solar panels on other nearby facilities and plans to install them on its future maintenance facility. Officials ultimately intend to power all park district operations with solar energy.

ComEd Vice President of Strategy and Energy Policy Andy Plenge, from left, presents a rebate check for investment in solar energy to Streamwood Park District officials including Commissioner Raees Yawer, Board President Kim Kaeseberg, Executive Director Jeff Janda and Vice President Michelle Nugent at the Park Place Family Recreation Center on Tuesday. (ComEd)

“This project, along with other environmentally friendly projects, looks to reduce pollution and energy related costs and maintain the beauty of the park system for the benefit of current and future generations,” park district Executive Director Jeff Janda said. “Overall savings from the program will help fund additional improvements to be made within the park system and helps enhance the quality of life in our diverse community through parks and recreation.”

ComEd’s rebate program is designed to help offset the startup costs of such investments. It was first established under the Future Energy Jobs Act and later expanded by the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act.

epeterson@dailyherald.com