ComEd today (Oct 17) presented the Circuit Court of Cook County's Sixth Municipal District in Markham, Ill., with a rebate of $183,577 to offset the upfront costs of a recently installed rooftop solar system, which is estimated to save 419 metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions and reduce annual electricity costs by 26%.
"At Cook County, we are committed to reducing dependence on fossil fuels and taking action toward a more sustainable future," said Toni Preckwinkle, president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners. "The installation of these solar panels at the Markham Courthouse allows for cleaner air, less pollution and has provided local job opportunities. We are proud of the steps we are taking for a more sustainable future here and throughout Cook County."
"We applaud Cook County leadership and the Markham Courthouse energy team for recognizing the important role that rooftop solar can play in reducing their carbon footprint, lowering energy costs and enhancing the performance of this vital public facility," said Neena Hemmady, vice president of projects and contract management, ComEd. "Cook County's investments in rooftop solar support its Clean Energy Plan and its efforts to achieve 100% clean electricity in its buildings by 2030."
The rooftop installation includes 1,346 solar panels atop the 317,000-square-foot Circuit Court property on Markham's Kedzie Parkway, which serves residents throughout the southern suburbs of Cook County. The solar panels produce energy on-site, reducing the amount of energy the County needs to purchase, which is a cost-saving measure for Cook County taxpayers. Producing energy with clean energy sources reduces greenhouse gas emissions that come from traditional fossil fuels like gas or coal and provides positive local environmental impacts. Signage has been installed in front of the courthouse to educate the Markham community about the project and how solar panels generate electricity.
Johnson Controls and Unity Solar Group have partnered on the development of the Markham Courthouse solar project, bringing both clean energy and community benefits to the region. As part of this initiative, Unity Solar Group designed and delivered a 10-week solar and OSHA safety training program in collaboration with the Proviso Leyden Council for Community Action (PLCCA). A nonprofit that has served Cook County for over 50 years, PLCCA is dedicated to empowering individuals and families through programs that foster self-sufficiency, stability, and positive life changes, particularly for at-risk and underserved youth. Building on this mission, the training program provided hands-on experience and industry-recognized safety certification.
A record $71.6 million in ComEd Distributed Generation (DG) Rebates were provided to customers in 2024 -- a nearly 800% increase from 2019, when rebates from the first year of the program totaled $8 million. A total of more than $237 million in rebates has been provided to customers since the program launch.
ComEd offers the DG Rebate to help offset out-of-pocket costs of installing a qualified renewable energy generating system and/or energy storage that is interconnected to the ComEd grid. A rebate requires the use of a smart inverter, which can communicate with ComEd to automatically help support the smart grid when needed. Rebates of $300 per kilowatt (kW) of generating capacity are offered for a DG facility associated with customers who are part of the residential or "Under 100 kW Demand Classes". For more information visit www.comed.com/solar