Cook County Expands Solar Energy with Largest On-Site Installation at Skokie Courthouse

Skokie, IL —Today, President Toni Preckwinkle was joined by County officials and representatives from Ameresco Inc to announce the completion of new on-site solar installations at the Skokie Courthouse, marking the County’s largest on-site solar project to date. The combined solar installations are expected to generate approximately 1,737 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity annually. These installations offset approximately 50% of the Skokie Courthouse’s yearly electricity usage (based on 2024 data).  

“We set ambitious goals to combat climate change, and we are achieving them.” said President Toni Preckwinkle. “These solar installations allow us to generate clean energy on-site, reduce pollution, lower operating costs, and move closer to our goal of powering County facilities with 100% renewable electricity.” 

Skokie and Markham courthouses were among the first facilities to receive solar installations following the release of the Clean Energy Plan in 2020. An additional 17 solar projects are currently in development and, once completed, are expected to increase the County’s renewable energy usage to approximately 32% of total electricity consumption across its buildings. By producing energy on-site, the County will significantly reduce the amount of electricity it must purchase, resulting in meaningful cost savings for taxpayers. 

The Skokie solar project also benefits from rebates and incentives, further enhancing cost savings beyond the energy generated on-site. Alongside solar expansion, Cook County continues to invest in energy efficiency improvements—including lighting upgrades, boiler enhancements, cooling system replacements, and building control system upgrades—to further reduce energy use and emissions. 

The solar installations support the goals outlined in Cook County’s Clean Energy Plan, including achieving a 45% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 from a 2010 baseline, reaching carbon neutrality by 2050, and using 100% renewable electricity across County-owned and operated facilities by 2030. Cook County has already surpassed its interim emissions reduction goal, achieving a 52.7% reduction to date—a milestone recognized with a 2025 National Association of Counties (NACo) Achievement Award. 

To learn more about Cook County’s Clean Energy Plan, released in July 2020, please visit Clean Energy Plan.