Growing greener energy: College of Lake County expands solar power fields

College of Lake County's new science building is among the greenest buildings in Illinois, but it doesn't stop there. The college is expanding solar energy on campus this fall. Verde Solutions will install solar panels on two acres of land on the west side of campus and atop the roofs of six buildings. Once complete, the college will receive nearly 20 percent of its electricity needs from these solar installations.

Affordability is everything and thanks to the Future Energy Jobs Act of 2016, the college can finance this solar development through a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Verde Solutions. There is no upfront cost for the installation of solar panels and CLC will save about $32,000 a year buying greener power generated from the panels right here on campus. After 20 years, the college will own the solar panels.

"Solar energy is much cleaner and greener than traditional sources of electricity," said CLC sustainability manager David Husemoller. "The college set the goal of carbon neutrality by 2042 and growing solar energy on campus will help us meet our climate goals and leave a greener legacy for future generations."

CLC is committed to conserving resources, reducing its carbon footprint and inspiring its students to become innovative problem solvers. The campus hosts a sustainability trail with interpretive signage to help visitors to appreciate innovation in practice. The CLC campus is a living laboratory for sustainability, not just a place to learn but also a place to learn from.

If you're interested in learning more about solar energy, join the virtual Illinois Solar Tour on Sept. 26, part of the American Solar Energy Society's National Solar Tour event. Known as "the largest grassroots solar event in history," more than 160,000 participants will visit some 5,500 buildings in 3,200 communities across the U.S. on tour day. Register to attend a free local Zoom tour here.