A presentation on a potential community solar project for Harvey was interrupted Monday by a power outage, postponing a preliminary City Council vote on the project.
The proposal is from Marquis Matilla, who said his business, Evolved Living, develops community solar projects in underserved communities.
“What happens is, not everyone can get solar panels on their homes,” Matilla said. “We would develop this solar farm, and that solar farm feeds energy back to ComEd’s grid. ComEd then takes that electricity, credits it and everyone who’s a subscriber to that community solar project is basically a partial owner.”
Residents would not have to pay anything to subscribe, Matilla said.
The first step to judge the project’s viability would be a feasibility study. Matilla stressed there are several steps and studies before anything is certain.
“That feasibility study means that we will apply with ComEd and make sure that there’s enough space on the substation to accommodate this solar farm,” Matilla said. “This is the very preliminary stages of the project, OK? But it is a very good project and we’re hopeful.”
Matilla said there are multiple sites under consideration for the solar farm, but said choosing one would rely on the result of the feasibility study. Which site was chosen would determine the size of the solar farm, he said.
“It’s not definitive yet. There are a couple sites that we are talking to the City Council to possibly see if they are suitable for the project,” Matilla said. “One site is a little bit larger, one site is a little bit smaller, but definitively we won’t know until we get to the feasibility phase.”
Fourth Ward Ald. Tracy Key asked Matilla if there were other comparable community solar projects nearby in the south suburbs.
Matilla said there were a few community solar projects in Ford Heights, but that there were not many in and around Chicago due to a lack of available space.
“It’s difficult to find land in the city,” Matilla said. “The closest places that you could probably go to see these projects are central Illinois, Joliet, Rockford area, where they have more available.”
A proposed 6,100 acre solar farm in Will County, near Manhattan, has drawn opposition from residents, who filed a lawsuit to stop the project earlier this month.
Matilla said the community solar project was made possible by a grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.
“That grant is a new program that the state is offering, so projects like this wouldn’t be even economically viable,” Matilla said. “This type of program for a municipality and community is a new program that is possible because of the grant.”
Matilla said that the city would generate revenue both from renewable energy credits and from leasing the land.
“This would cost the city nothing,” Matilla said. “In fact, we’re taking vacant, unused, contaminated land and turning it into an asset that the city and the residents can take advantage of.”
Acting Mayor Shirley Drewenski emphasized the vote would just be on whether the city was interested in pursuing the project, starting with the feasibility study.
“Now, what happens if the land is perfect?” Drewenski said. “Then what will happen is they will come and get the permits, they will go through the zoning and making sure everything is OK. Then it will come back to the City Council for a vote.”
The vote did not happen Monday due to the power outage cutting the meeting short, and no public comment was heard.
Harvey’s next City Council meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. on April 27 at Harvey City Hall, 15320 Broadway Ave.
elewis@chicagotribune.com
