WEST RIDGE — Warren Park will be among 15 sites across Cook County to be studied as part of a pilot program that evaluates bringing solar energy to areas that may normally lack access.
The field house at the massive 90-acre park at 6601 N. Western Ave. was selected to be studied as a potential location for "a solar-electric system that provides power and/or financial benefits to multiple community members," as well as expand solar for renters and condo owners, according to the county.
The Solar Market Pathways project, an arm of Cook County's Department of Environmental Control, was awarded $1.2 million from the U.S. Department of Energy in 2014 to study the viability of community-based sources of solar power.
Over the next five years, the plan's goal is to provide solar energy for at least 30,000 residents who live in areas of the county where it normally would not be available — including in West Ridge.
After the program ends, it would be up to the city whether or not to adopt the model permanently at the field house.
The pilot study will provide engineering assessments, help gauge local interest and see who the neighborhood market consists of, lay out expected costs, risks and benefits associated with solar and offer an overall template the community could adopt.
