• The Kane County Division of Environmental and Water Resources and Kane County Connects are “Counting Down to Earth Day” with a series of articles on “Going Green” in 2019. This article was contributed by Christina Uzzo with the Citizens Utility Board.

Thinking about going solar? An exciting new program is available to help Kane County residents further reduce the cost of residential solar.

Solarize Chicagoland is a grassroots program combining volume purchasing with community education to make solar more accessible and affordable. It’s open to residents of Kane, DuPage, Will and Cook counties, plus the 60010 zip code.

It’s a great time to go solar in Illinois as homeowners can take advantage of both a Federal Investment Tax Credit and a brand new Illinois solar incentive program. Together these two incentives can cover up to 60 percent of the cost for people who buy their residential solar systems outright.

Even better, Solarize Chicagoland can save you an additional 9 percent to 15 percent on your solar array.

These additional savings are a result of competitively selecting a solar installer. All homeowners who go solar through Solarize Chicagoland will receive a rebate from the solar installer at the end of the program. The amount of the rebate depends on the size of the individual’s system, and on how many solar systems are installed throughout the four-county program area.

This project is the result of a partnership between the Citizens Utility Board, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group fighting for lower utility rates and smart clean energy legislation in Illinois, and the Midwest Renewable Energy Association, a nonprofit group dedicated to renewable energy and energy efficiency education.

And it’s endorsed by Kane County, DuPage County, Cook County, Will County, and the city of Elgin.

Our goal is to answer any questions you might have about going solar and to spread the word about its affordability.

Throughout the summer, we will be hosting “Solar Power Hours” in Kane County. These free events are a great opportunity to learn the basics of solar, its financial benefits for your household, and how to take advantage of the Solarize Chicagoland program.

After the session, get a free, no-obligation site assessment from the competitively selected installer. You have until Sept. 30 to decide whether to install a solar system through the Solarize Chicagoland program.

The full list of Solar Power Hours will be posted at the end of April. Visit www.SolarizeChicagoland.com to see the list and sign up for program updates.

You are welcome to attend any of the presentations, not just those in Kane County. Please contact the Citizens Utility Board if you have any questions, (312) 263-4282, www.CitizensUtilityBoard.org.

Solar Power Hours in Kane County

• 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday, April 22, at Elgin Township Supervisor’s Office, 729 S. McLean St., Elgin
• 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, May 3, at First Congregational United Church of Christ, 256 East Chicago St., Elgin
• 11 a.m. to noon Saturday June 8, at Gail Borden Public Library, 270 N. Grove Ave., Elgin
• 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday July 16, at Elgin Area School District U-46 Central Office, 355 East Chicago Street, Room 240, Elgin
• 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday Aug. 6,at Fox River Valley Public Library – East Dundee, 555 Barrington Ave., East Dundee
• 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday Sept. 9,at Batavia Library, 10 S. Batavia Ave., Batavia

Solarize Chicagoland is working to add more Solar Power Hours throughout Kane County, especially in Aurora and the southern half of the county. Sign up for program updates to be notified of the presentations in your area.

Enter To Win a Smart Thermostat!

In Honor of Earth Day, April 22, CUB is giving one lucky winner a Nest or Ecobee smart thermostat!

Enter to win during the month of April; we will announce a winner on May 1. (Terms and conditions)

Happy Earth Day!

Read The Countdown to Earth Day Series!

Earth Day 2019: How To Inspire Kids To Love Their River

• No. 16: Introduction to Earth Day — Let’s Focus on Working Together! (Jessica Mino)
• No. 15: Stop Volcano Mulching! It Does More Harm Than Good! (Valerie Blaine)
• No. 14: Slow Down! We’ve Got Turtles Crossing Here! (Pam Otto)
• No. 13: Check Out Kane County’s Not-So-Secret, Totally Awesome Sustainable Transportation (Ryan Peterson and Troy Simpson)
• No. 12: Fires Erupting All Over Kane County This April (Rob Linke)
• No. 11: How To Inspire Your Kids To Love Their River (Meghan Yancey and Jenni Schiavone)