Hawthorn Woods receives SolSmart solar energy designation

Submitted by the village of Hawthorn Woods

The village of Hawthorn Woods has received the prestigious SolSmart Community Award, a nationwide program led by the national nonprofit group The Solar Foundation and funded by the United States Department of Energy. The event was held at Argonne National Lab on Feb. 2.

The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus, an organization of 275 municipalities in the Chicago region, acted as an adviser to lead the state of Illinois in this effort. Fifteen communities in Illinois received their SolSmart proclamations from Governor Rauner and were awarded plaques to be displayed in their municipalities. Hawthorn Woods now joins the list of municipal leaders in the state of Illinois to earn the award.

SolSmart uses objective criteria to award communities points based on the actions they take to reduce barriers to solar energy development. Communities that qualify are designated gold, silver or bronze. Hawthorn Woods met the qualifications to receive the SolSmart silver status by meeting several standards that promote and encourage the use of solar energy in the village.

Community Development Director Michael Cassata attended the award ceremony and said, "The village's streamlined process makes it easier and more affordable for residents to install solar panels on their homes."

"The Hawthorn Woods Village Board approved a new set of regulations that promotes the use of clean, renewable energy, like solar energy, and streamlined the process for residents who wish to utilize solar power technology on their residential homes," Chief Operating Officer Pamela O. Newton said.

"The village board worked to create a set of standards that streamlined the process for residents, while continuing to protect the aesthetic character of our community that makes Hawthorn Woods a rural oasis within a suburban region."

Hawthorn Woods Mayor Joseph Mancino, who also serves as the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Chairman, presided at the event, recognizing the single largest group of SolSmart applicants in the nation.

"The Metropolitan Mayor's Caucus is proud to host this regional environmental collaboration, bringing counties and cities together to promote renewable energy resources that advance solar technology, saves energy costs, and conserves natural resources," Mancino said. "Any community can adopt the principles of renewable energy and work to incorporate them to align with your community. We thank the Metropolitan Mayor's Caucus team for leading this initiative to assist the cities, villages, and counties in Illinois."

For more information about the village of Hawthorn Woods, visit www.vhw.org.

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