Opening Doors to Community Solar

As Illinois unlocks the value of community solar through the newly enacted Future Energy Jobs Act, local governments and site owners must have the tools to ensure that they can capture the full benefits of community solar. Cook County and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council hosted a free webinar on key considerations for site owners, municipalities and other stakeholders. Cook County Chief Sustainability Officer Deborah Stone provided an overview of tools and resources available. Brian Millberg, energy manager for the City of Minneapolis, outlined some key considerations for municipalities to keep in mind as they develop request for proposals (RFPs) for community solar projects. And Samantha Bluemer, energy conservation specialist with Will County, IL, discussed steps taken to prepare her community for solar development, including solar-ready zoning, stakeholder engagement and integrated planning efforts. This webinar was supported by the US Department of Energy.  Listen:  https://vimeo.com/242794940