When it comes to creating a sustainable community, some might be thinking:

“I want to support renewable energy sources, but there are good reasons why I can’t simply install these things at my own home or business. For one, it’s expensive! I also don’t have the space, roof structure, or neighborhood environment to install solar panels or a wind turbine.

“How can I still support renewable energy sources?”

Good News: YOU CAN!

You can enlist in the renewably-sourced energy program provided by your electrical supplier.

For those in the unincorporated Kane County, this is offered through the county’s Municipal Electrical Aggregation Program.

As a new cycle of the electric aggregation program begins in August of 2018, consider enrolling in the 100 percent renewably-sourced program through Dynegy Energy Services, unincorporated Kane County’s upcoming electrical aggregation program supplier.

“The amount of greenhouse gases emitted from each energy source is shown above. Notice that, unsurprisingly, sources that don’t use carbon-based fuel release the least amount of CO2.” – Figure by Shannon McArdel, published in Science in the News by Harvard University.

This option is provided at the rate of 7.248 cents per kWh, compared to the traditionally-sourced program rate of 7.026 cents per kWh. This only amounts to approximately $2.43 a month to shift your household to renewable energy use, based on the average family household usage of 13,120 kWh per year.

It is up to you to decide the future of our environment. For me, the choice was easy — I am consistently enrolled in the 100 percent renewably-sourced energy option where I live.

Please contact DES Customer Care to elect this sustainability option at 866-694-1262 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday or via email at DESCustCare@Dynegy.com.

If you are not a part of Kane County’s Municipal Aggregation Program, check with your electrical supplier. Many offer a similar program that you can elect to be a part of.

This not only allows you to personally ensure that the equivalent energy you use is renewably/ sustainably produced by your electric supplier, but it also lets the power supply companies know this is important to the consumers. With more participants in this type of program, power supply companies are guided in the direction of constructing infrastructure to support and advance alternative energy sources.

St. Charles Solar Facility with 4,824 solar panels began commercial operation Sept. 1, 2017. The solar plant is a project of the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency, which supplies wholesale power to the City of St. Charles.

Other Options to Promote Solar Energy

Some people choose to participate in a community solar program. This type of program allows “subscribers” to promote solar production in their community without having to install solar panels at their own homes. “Subscribers” contribute to a solar installation in their community, also referred to as a community solar garden, and then receive credits on their electric bills for the solar energy produced at the facility they contributed to.

SOURCE: https://news.energysage.com

Find out more about Community Solar in Illinois.

Kane County has made solar options more feasible by becoming a Bronze designated SolSmart community. To earn and maintain this designation, the County continues to promote solar energy growth and removes obstacles to solar development.

You can learn more about this program at SolSmart.org.

To explore accessing renewable energy sources, check out:

• Benefits of Using Green Power from the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
• Buying Clean Energy from Energy.gov.