July 11, 2019
Communities Partner to Encourage Solar Power Installations in Lake County
Lake County is working on several solar energy initiatives designed to increase the availability and use of solar power in the region. New incentives from the Illinois Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA) makes solar power more cost-effective for residents and businesses. As the cost of solar power decreases, community interest in solar energy is surging.
To accommodate this, local regulations need to be updated to reflect recent trends and improvements in solar technology. The Lake County Planning, Building and Development Department, in partnership with 18 local municipalities and with technical support from solar industry experts, recently convened a regional Solar Energy Task Force with the goal of discussing best practices in regulating solar installations. Participants developed a model ordinance for communities to use in adopting state-of-the-art solar zoning codes. A copy of the Solar Energy Systems Model Ordinance can be found on the Lake County website.
Following the conclusion of the Solar Energy Task Force, Lake County is moving forward with amending its own zoning code based on the model ordinance. A public hearing on these proposed amendments will be held at 2 p.m. July 23 at the Lake County Division of Transportation, 600 W. Winchester Rd., Libertyville.
"Lake County is excited to partner with area municipalities in modernizing regulations to align with emerging solar technology." said Hannah Mulroy, Interim Sustainability Manager. "We've received interest from many residents and businesses wanting to use solar power, so it's important to have the ability to regulate height and security features and to ensure solar facilities are properly designed and installed. The County’s new ordinance, adapted from the Solar Energy Task Force’s model regulations, will provide clarity on the solar options in the unincorporated areas that can be installed and the path to implementing them. We anticipate that a number of municipalities will be doing the same."
In addition to leading the Solar Energy Task Force efforts, Lake County recently earned the highly coveted SolSmart Bronze Designation, furthering the County's commitment to solar power growth in the community. Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's SunShot Initiative, SolSmart recognizes local governments for taking key steps to reduce barriers to solar energy growth and simplifying the process for homes and businesses to install solar systems. Those interested in solar permitting should reach out to their municipality. Those who reside in unincorporated Lake County can learn more by visiting Lake County Planning, Building and Development's Solar Energy web page.
Lake County is also leading an effort to connect local governments with opportunities to host solar projects at government facilities. As the solar energy industry grows in Lake County, many local communities have fielded calls from developers asking to install solar arrays on public land and facilities; including schools, parks and municipal property. In response to this expanded interest, Lake County is moving forward with a group of local municipalities in a joint procurement opportunity to bring solar power to county and municipal facilities, which will result in lower costs while providing renewable energy to power many government facilities throughout Lake County.
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