Solar Bloomington-Normal makes first solar installation

Posted on July 12, 2016

Paul and Kathy Packard's home — The house had 24 solar panels installed on its roof Tuesday afternoon. (Adam Studzinski/WJBC)

By Adam Studzinski

NORMAL – A program encouraging residents to switch to solar power made its first installation Tuesday.

Solar Bloomington-Normal is a group solar buy program launched in April by the Ecology Action Center and Midwest Renewable Energy Association. Paul and Kathy Packard have been thinking of installing solar power at their home in Normal for awhile.

“We put in geotherm (geothermal) as a replacement for our heating and cooling system 13 years ago.” said Kathy Packard. “So we’ve been interested in environmentally conscious utilities for a long time.”

The Packard’s system is made up of 24 solar modules and will produce over 7,000 kilowatt-hours of energy each year.

“We want the community to see that solar is possible on a roof – on a homeowner’s roof,” Kathy Packard said.

Solar Bloomington-Normal’s Director of Business Development Shannon Fulton said many other residents have signed up for the program. As more people join the program, the overall cost for participants goes down.

Adam Studzinski can be reached at [email protected].

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year. It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city. Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University. We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk. Going to work every day for some people means…