Deerfield has cut the ribbon on a $2 million solar array for its water reclamation facility on Hackberry Road, the village’s first major solar project, which will cut the facility’s grid power use by nearly 25%.
Construction for the array first broke ground in October. A village news release celebrated the 574.6-kilowatt, ground-mounted array as a “monumental step” in the village’s sustainability goals, which will also provide long-term tax savings.
According to Mayor Daniel Shapiro, about 70% of the roughly $2 million project, built by Veregy, was covered by state, federal and utility incentives, leaving Deerfield to cover about $640,000.
Similar solar projects in the county will likely cost more to build in the future with the sunsetting of federal incentives, although any projects that managed to begin work prior to a now-passed June deadline have until 2030 to be completed.
Shapiro said that in about a decade, the solar array’s energy savings will mean Deerfield will see a financial return on the investment — a benefit guaranteed in the project’s contract, he said. The release said the array will give the village more than $1.1 million in utility savings over its lifetime.
According to the release, the array will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 275 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually, which the release equated to the same impact as removing 61 gas-fueled cars from the road for a year, or the carbon capture of 320 acres of forests.
The project is tied into the goals of Deerfield’s Climate Action Report, which aims to reduce community emissions by 45% by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050.
Danielle Melone, senior account manager at Veregy and the project’s performance contractor, said wastewater treatment plants are typically one of the highest energy users in a municipality. Shapiro considered the shift to solar “a major accomplishment” for the village.
“Seeing this solar array fully operational and pushing clean energy to our facility is a proud moment for Deerfield,” Shapiro said in a statement. “This project represents more than just cost savings; it reflects Deerfield’s responsibility to future generations.
“By flipping the switch on solar energy at our water reclamation facility, we are improving air quality, reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and proving that local government can lead the way toward a healthier, more sustainable community,” he said.
The roughly acre of solar panels will be “isolated,” Shapiro said, surrounded by landscaping and foliage.
“The area where this is located is completely screened by trees, foliage and landscaping. So, say you’re a neighbor; you can’t see it,” he said.
No other similar solar projects are in the pipeline for Deerfield at the moment, although Shapiro said village officials would look to include solar in future municipal projects.
