The Peoria Park District is loudly proclaiming its values in a series of solar roof panels on the Bonnie Noble Center, Lakeview Recreation Center, Owens Center and RiverPlex Recreation & Wellness Center.

The panels testify:

• We are fiscally responsible and save taxpayer money.
• We are stewards of our environment.
• We clearly share our research and help further the understanding that in central Illinois solar is a viable and responsible alternative to fossil fuels.

The Park District worked with locally owned Hawk-Attollo as its solar development partner. A not for profit like the Peoria Park District can’t monetize tax savings from government incentives for solar, but through a “Power Purchase Agreement” those credits can go to a solar development company that owns the panels and maintains them for a set period of time after which the park district has the option to purchase the panels. In the meantime, the power going into the electric grid from the panels is purchased by the Park District at a rate lower than it was previously paying.

These are the savings projected over 20 years:

Bonnie Noble Center, $170,000; Lakeview Recreation Center, $132,000; Owens Center, $465,000; RiverPlex, $348,000.

Total savings over 20 years is projected to be $1.115 million.

Mary Harden, planner with the Peoria Park District, started work on the project in 2017. Hawk-Attollo developed the agreement that was approved unanimously by the Park District board of directors in the fall of 2019. The panels were installed last summer and have not yet been operational for a complete year, but the project is already reducing the electric bill for each of the four facilities.

Harden said it was important to the Peoria Park District to work with a local company. In addition, the agreement called for hiring students in the Illinois Central College “Solar Pipeline Training Program.”

Jason Hawksworth, one of the principals of Hawk-Attollo, dispels the myth that solar doesn’t work in central Illinois.

He said the difference between Florida and Illinois is about one hour a day in terms of solar electric generation.

“Illinois has enough sun to produce power,” he said.

He dispels another myth of solar that alleges the breakdown of solar panels generates toxins.

“Solar panels generate enough clean energy in three years to offset its lifecycle carbon footprint,” he said, noting the panels can be productive for 40 years and are 99% recyclable. They are silent and while they do get warm, they don’t emit enough heat to harm birds

In terms of aesthetics, some people feel the panels are unattractive, but many people see them as a beautiful statement about caring for the environment.

“I’ve changed the way I drive to work,” Hawksworth said. He used to drive into Peoria over the McClugage Bridge. Now he drives over the Murray Baker Bridge so he can see the panels on the RiverPlex.

Yvonne Long, a manager with Hawk-Attollo, said a county health department in central Illinois was installing solar and the director was told the panels could be installed in the rear of the building to be less obtrusive.

“No,” he said, he wanted them for everyone to see as they walked in the front door as a statement about personal health and environmental health.

Hawk-Attollo specializes in projects with tax-exempt not-for-profit organizations that can’t monetize tax credits and often can’t afford to install solar. Hawk-Attollo owns the equipment with purchase options written into the agreements with each organizations. Among the company’s clients, in addition to the Peoria Park District, are the Universalist Unitarian Church of Peoria, Bradley University Hillel House, Richwoods High School and Northwoods Church.

Hawksworth said as more communities understand the concept behind “Power Purchase Agreements” he expects more solar installations going up in Central Illinois.

“It used to be we’d go apply for a permit and the municipality had never heard of this,” he said, noting that all newly constructed single- family homes and multi-family units under three stories in California are now required to have solar. California is the first state to require solar as part of the statewide mandate to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The money budgeted by the state for incentives was maxed out, but Sen. Dave Koehler said there is current legislation to expand available credits.

“We have quite a few pieces of energy legislation. I expect we will see an explosion of solar projects,” Koehler said. “This is the busiest year we’ve ever had and interest keeps growing. There are union jobs in the energy bill and a carbon tax. Very exciting things are in the works.”