After its final 2018 event in November focusing on the Greenest Region Compact, the Fox Valley Sustainability Network is building momentum with more events planned for 2019. The first forum in early February focused on solar energy and the Future Energy Jobs Act and engaged participants across every sector including developers, municipalities, energy providers, and […]
Solar, renewable energy forum features m...
SGA and the Fox Valley Sustainability Network hosted a Solar and Renewable Energy Forum at Waubonsee Community College in Aurora on Jan. 18. Among the topics that various speakers covered were financing options for community solar projects in Illinois, the different kinds of solar projects on the horizon, the Future Energy Jobs Act and municipal […]
PlanItGreen carving a solar path to comm...
PlanItGreen convened its annual Institutional Leaders Forum on Dec. 5 to highlight efforts by organizations that promote sustainability and help put the brakes on climate-related impacts. And while it is customary for River Forest Village President Cathy Adduci and Oak Park Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb to attend the forum, they were in the city preparing to […]
PlanItGreen’s mission to educate organiz
Since being selected for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar in Your Community Challenge earlier this year, the PlanItGreen solar team met with leaders of local organizations to help them better understand “the whole concept of solar,” says Gary Cuneen of Seven Generations Ahead, which is spearheading PIG’s solar initiative. The most recent presentation was held for the Communityworks […]
Why solar? Why now?
Since 1990, global surface temperatures have warmed at a rate of about 0.15°C per decade according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), within the range of model projections of about 0.10 to 0.35°C per decade. The U.S. is seeing more extreme weather, including flooding, droughts and wildfires, which cost taxpayers billions of dollars […]
PlanItGreen team visits renewable energy...
At the invitation of the Institute For Sustainable Communities, PlanItGreen team members who are involved in energy issues attended a “Turning Energy Data Into Action” workshop at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colo. The April 3-4 workshop was part of the Solar In Your Community initiative of the U.S. Department of Energy SunShot Program. […]
Process and progress on making community...
The status of bringing solar power, community solar and its related economic and environmental justice benefits to Oak Park, River Forest and the rest of Illinois is still in the early stages. The Future Energy Jobs Bill, including the Solar For All Illinois program, signed into law last Dec. 7, will take effect on June […]
Energy Jobs bill paves way for community...
On Dec. 1, the Illinois General Assembly passed the “Future Energy Jobs Bill” (SB2814), the most comprehensive energy legislation of its kind in more than 20 years. A few days later, Gov. Rauner signed the bill. The bill had been headlined as a subsidy, or “bailout,” for the nuclear power plants that Exelon has been […]
PlanItGreen sees a future in community s...
Solar power is mainstreaming into the United States’ electric grid, shedding its label as an “alternative source” in just a few years. More than 1 million buildings in the United States, and about 1,000 in Illinois, have a solar power system on their property. With utility-scale installations, solar power is near 3 percent of U.S. […]
FVSN forum looks at solar energy’s advan
Solar energy was the topic for Fox Valley Sustainability Network‘s second forum on June 8 at the Two Brothers Roundhouse in Aurora. The network is a project of Seven Generations Ahead, Kane County, the City of Aurora, and a5 Inc., Branding + Digital in collaboration with the Fox Valley communities and counties. Among those giving presentations were Steve Johnson, vice president of […]