Distributed generation
About six percent of all electricity produced is lost during
transmission between the power plant and your home. One way to
eliminate this waste, as well as improve reliability, is to produce electricity near where it's used. This is called
"distributed generation" and includes rooftop solar, co-generation, and other forms of decentralized electricity generation. It can also be part of a micro-grid.
ROOFTOP Solar
Photovoltaic panels (PV) installed on roofs generate electricity from the clean, renewable source of the sun. Electricity can be used immediately to power the building, stored in batteries for later use, or sold back to the grid ("net metering"). Because electricity does not travel far, whatever is produced is available for use.
Illinois has tremendous untapped solar energy potential. As electricity costs continue to rise and the cost of solar declines, rooftop solar will also increasingly be a smart financial choice. In states with high electricity costs, such as New Jersey, installing rooftop solar panels is already a better investment than an S&P 500 stock index fund.
Illinois has tremendous untapped solar energy potential. As electricity costs continue to rise and the cost of solar declines, rooftop solar will also increasingly be a smart financial choice. In states with high electricity costs, such as New Jersey, installing rooftop solar panels is already a better investment than an S&P 500 stock index fund.
Solar energy incentives
The City of Chicago runs two programs to encourage Chicago home owners to install rooftop solar. The Chicago Solar Express offers a streamlined, reduced cost permitting process for small home solar systems. From July to September 2014, the Solar Chicago program will provide discounted group buying rates to Chicago residents from local solar installers. Program participants can also benefit from all state and federal solar incentives.
Even if you cannot install PV panels on your home, you can still help expand solar energy in your neighborhood. Attractive financial incentives are available for schools and community buildings from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation and for small businesses from the SBIF.
In the future, Illinois residents could potentially even band together to create "community solar gardens". This is now possible in states like Massachusetts and Minnesota. These are collectively-owned solar arrays placed on large community buildings like schools. This is a great way for apartment and condo dwellers to help add solar energy to the grid, limit their electricity costs, and potentially even make money.
In the future, Illinois residents could potentially even band together to create "community solar gardens". This is now possible in states like Massachusetts and Minnesota. These are collectively-owned solar arrays placed on large community buildings like schools. This is a great way for apartment and condo dwellers to help add solar energy to the grid, limit their electricity costs, and potentially even make money.
Both the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago have policies to encourage the spread of solar energy. However, incentives are not always as attractive or user-friendly as in nearby states such as Minnesota or Missouri. In addition, state incentives programs have been eliminated, underfunded, or "swept" for other purposes. Lobbying government is therefore an important part of expanding solar in Illinois.
micro-grids and co-generation
Campuses and other large developments with multiple buildings can reduce wasted electricity and increase reliability dramatically by creating small, self-contained micro-grids. Some or all of its electricity can be produced on-site, either via renewable sources like solar PV panels or with fossil-fuel powered generators. In Chicago, the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) developed the nation's first Perfect Power micro-grid. Although now largely experimental, micro-grids could spread rapidly in the future.
Large buildings, such as Chicago's City Hall, use fuel efficiently and limit lost electricity through co-generation: generating their own electricity on-site and then using the heat it creates to heat the building in winter. This can also be part of a micro-grid or a district heating system. Some systems can also cool buildings (tri-generation).
Large buildings, such as Chicago's City Hall, use fuel efficiently and limit lost electricity through co-generation: generating their own electricity on-site and then using the heat it creates to heat the building in winter. This can also be part of a micro-grid or a district heating system. Some systems can also cool buildings (tri-generation).