Verde Solutions LLC, a Chicago-based full-service renewable energy developer, has partnered with the Village Minooka to install a solar array on the Minooka Wastewater Treatment Plant. This solar project will reduce village energy costs and produce more than 22,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide over its life span.
The Village of Minooka has entered into a power purchase agreement (PPA), which will allow it to buy power at a lower rate than grid power.
“The municipal team and the Village of Minooka board saw that going solar was a great way to reduce expenses from the wastewater treatment facility,” says Christopher Gersch, founder and CEO of Verde Solutions. “The purchase power agreement structure allows communities like Minooka to show their commitment to sustainability and save money from day one of operation. Minooka was among the first to benefit from this unique private-public partnership. However, it will not be the only one. Solar in Illinois for communities just makes sense.”
The Village of Minooka, a suburb of Chicago in the southwest, has more than 11,000 residents. The wastewater treatment plant requires millions of gallons to move water before it can be safely released into the environment. This makes it energy-intensive. Because it is located in full sunlight and has vacant land nearby, the treatment plant is a great location for a solar system. Verde Solutions, a leader in sustainability in the community, designed the solar project with an accessible path and a landscaping buffer made of native trees to blend in with its surroundings.
“The Village Board, president and staff at Minooka are dedicated to achieving a more energy-efficient footprint for the benefit of our residents and the environment we share,” says Barry Thompson, the Village of Minooka’s chairman of public works. “We began by replacing incandescent lighting in our buildings and streetlights with modern LED fixtures, reducing energy consumption and generating a substantial cost savings. Looking ahead, adding solar technology will deliver an even more robust, clean-energy footprint, while further reducing costs for village residents.”
Verde Solutions and Fresh Coast Solar collaborated to create the Minooka project. Fresh Coast Solar intends to install the solar array by the summer 2022.