Cook County Solar Market Pathways
The Cook County Department of Environmental Control has received a federal cooperative award of $1.2 million to help bring community shared solar power to the region. Community solar is solar photovoltaic electric power that provides power and/or financial benefit to multiple community members. Best estimates are that about 85% of Cook County residents cannot take advantage of solar power now because they rent, co-own their roof as a condo, simply have a roof that is too steep or shaded or with too many obstructions, or cannot afford the up-front investment in a solar array. Community, or shared, solar could make the benefits of solar power available to virtually all Cook County residents, as well as commercial and industrial businesses and nonprofits. The Solar Market Pathways project was one of 15 awarded nationally as part of the U.S Department of Energy SunShot Initiative. Project Partners include the City of Chicago, ComEd, Elevate Energy, the Environmental Law and Policy Center, and West Monroe Partners.
The just-published Cook County Community Solar Opportunity Assessment provides a snapshot of the potential for community solar in Cook County. The analysis quantifies community solar customer potential by analyzing Cook County housing demographics, assessing and quantifying market potential by analyzing physical characteristics of vacant land and buildings in Cook County, and identifying the number of sites suitable for community solar installations and the potential combined solar energy capacity for these sites. This analysis will help inform the project's stakeholder engagement and pilot site identification processes. The analysis found space on rooftops and vacant land for over 9,000 Megawatts of solar capacity, nearly enough to offset all of Cook County's residential electric use. For more information, go to our blog.
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EPA Assistant Administrator Visits Cook County
on July 8
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Deborah Stone with Holly Campbell and
Ed Paesel, SSMMA on the tour. |
In light of the Obama Administration's continued support for U.S. manufacturing and sustainable materials, Mathy Stanislaus, U.S. EPA's Assistant Administrator for the Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response, joined Deborah Stone and other officials for a tour of the LB Steel and Sterling Lumber, located in Chicago's Southland. Representatives from the South Suburban Mayors and Managers Association (SSMMA), also went on the tours and shared their perspectives on the importance of sustainable materials management.
Sterling Lumber, one of the locations on the tour, is a family-run company that manufactures hardwood crane, timber, and access mats. The company, which employs more than 150 residents, has been growing quickly and recently expanded operations into a new 520,000 square feet, 60-acre facility, utilizing formerly vacant brownfields properties that were assessed and remediated by U.S. EPA and Illinois EPA grants. After the tour, Mr. Staislaus and Charlie Bartsch, USEPA, met with President Preckwinkle.
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Meeting with President Preckwinkle after the tour.
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Cook County Building Reuse Market Opportunities Workshop
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Deborah Stone, Bryant Williams, Jeri Anne Garl and others listen to panelists
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On June 30, 2015, our Department conducted the Cook County Building Reuse Market Opportunities Workshop. Hosted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the workshop included topics such as opportunities to expand the reuse market; barriers to the use of salvaged building materials; and brainstorming ways to overcome barriers. The question and answer period included some comments on Cook County's Demolition Debris Diversion Ordinance. It was considered by some at the workshop a "model ordinance" for dealing with debris diversion.
Panelists included:
- Benton Johnson, Skidmore, Owings, Merrill, LLP
- Anne Nicklin, BMRA
- Charlie Vinz, ReBuilding Exchange/RX Made
- Carla Bruni, Historic Preservationist
- Opening remarks were offered by Deborah Stone, Cook County Chief Sustainability Officer and Jerri-Anne Garl, Chief, Materials Management Branch, Region V, U.S. EPA.
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NEWS AND EVENTS
Save Money and Go 'Green'
Program on July 30th 8:00 to 10:00 a.m.
Learn More about Incentives to Reduce Your Energy Costs
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Brownfield Program
Public Meetings
Meeting 1: Franklin Park Village Board of Trustees Meeting, August 10th
at 7:00 p.m.
Meeting 2: Melrose Park Village Council Meeting, August 24th at 6:00 p.m.
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Composting and Gardening
How-to Session Learn about their
Benefits
September 26
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Kickapoo Woods in Riverdale
South Halsted Street just south of West 144th Street in Riverdale
For details, contact:
Chris Lipman
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Chief Sustainability Officer Deborah Stone Profiled in REJournals.com
Talks about her commitment to sustainability and the programs she manages at Cook County.
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Cook County Participates in CNT Urban Sustainability Apps Competition
On June 6 The Center for Neighborhood Technology (CNT) hosted its annual urban sustainability apps competition.
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Cook County Department of Environmental Control joined with USEPA Region V on this important workshop. Read more details.
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