Equity Solar Illinois (ESI) announced the completion of its second community solar project in the state. The 6.07-MWDC project, known as Origami Solar, will generate enough energy to power nearly 1,000 homes while enabling subscribers to save on their electric bills. Its operation also complements the mission of landowner Dean Huisingh’s Huisingh Family Foundation, dedicated to restoring and preserving native Illinois prairie and animal habitat.
Huisingh’s environmental classroom and work building next to the solar site.
“We’re incredibly proud to partner with Dean to add more clean, local renewable energy to the Illinois grid while also supporting his crucial mission of land conservation,” said Rena Henderson Mason, ESI principal.
Huisingh, who owns the land on which ESI built and currently operates Origami Solar, has made it his mission to ingrain a respect for native habitat into generations to come. Next to the solar site, he has constructed a classroom and work building dedicated to teaching about land conservation and also planted acres of species native to Illinois. He hopes to inspire more people to take an interest in prairie habitat and the insects and other wildlife that depend on it.
“I’m putting my land to use in a way that allows me to teach people the importance of preserving and restoring our natural resources,” said Huisingh. “ESI’s solar project is a key part of that — 100% of the lease payments from that project go towards the foundation’s operation.”
ESI will celebrate the energization of Origami Solar with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 14.
Origami Solar’s subscribers are made up mostly of small commercial businesses.
News item from ESI
