Illinois Solar Tour - Chicago Sites

The 2023 Solar Tour is available in a hybrid format, offering both in-person and video tours. Please check individual sites to see which types of tours are offered.

Types of Tours:

In-Person: The home or business owner will be there to talk about their installation and answer questions; may or may not include going inside to see equipment
Video: The home or business owner filmed a video tour of their system, which is viewable online
Walk-By Solar Home: The home or business owner will not be available to greet visitors; visitors can view the system from outside

Andersonville

Todd Weinstein

Site Type: Residential

Tour Type: In-Person

System: 18 roof-mounted panels

Annual Production: 8000 kWh

Why I went solar: We wanted to reduce our impact on the planet and lock in a fixed cost for electricity for 25 years. It’s always been a dream to have solar and it’s been working marvelously!

Arcadia Terrace

Mark Weitekamper

Site Type: Residential

Tour Type: Video

Link to Video

System: 12 roof-mounted panels, EV

Annual Production: 3240kWh

Why I went solar: In an effort to reduce fossil fuel usage and become an environmentally friendly household, we added insulation, efficient appliances, and an electric vehicle. We added solar PV to come close to Net Zero energy use for electricity to run our household. We look forward to using additional efforts and technologies to reduce our carbon footprint more in the future.

Bronzeville

The Chicago Urban League

Site Type: Non-Profit

Tour Type: Video

Link to Video & Article

System: 394 panels on a flat roof and carport, EV charging station

Annual Production: 208 MWh

Why I went solar: To provide an opportunity to share the development process with trainees and community. “We are excited about what this means for environmental justice across our communities in Chicago,” says project lead Andrew Wells, vice president of the Workforce Development Center at the Chicago Urban League. “Our project is bringing greater awareness, inclusion, and access to the clean energy economy for the people of the South Side.”

Lakeview

Matthew Witkovsky

Site Type: Residential

Tour Type: In-Person

System: 21 roof-mounted panels, EV, air to water heat pump

Annual Production: 6500 kWh

Why I went solar: Looking to remove fossil fuels from the home and decrease energy consumption overall. It's been a great adventure over the past 5 years, including extensive DIY upgrades to insulation, lighting and windows. Have learned a great deal through online seminars, podcasts, discussions with the technicians. Happy to share.

Logan Square

April Mahajan

Site Type: Residential

Tour Type: Video

Link to Video

System: 12 flat roof-mounted panels, EV

Annual Production: 4360 kWh

Why I went solar: I work in sustainability, and am very passionate about living a sustainable lifestyle - in essence, lightening my carbon footprint. 'Greening' one's energy use is often difficult to address, unlike other areas of one's life where small, incremental changes can be identified and integrated over time. Fortunate to be a homeowner, installing solar PV was one sizable step my husband and I could take to address this. We've since become engaged in the technical advancements in the solar industry, the various players in the field, the progress across the US, and our collective pivot to a renewable energy grid. We'd like to do what we can to further that agenda!

Magnolia Glen

Richard Rutschman

Site Type: Residential

Tour Type: Video

Link to Video

System: 30 roof-mounted panels, heat pumps

Annual Production: Too early to tell!

Why I went solar: Climate change is causing devastation around the world creating destruction to humans and life as we know it on our planet. The US is responsible for more carbon emission than any other country and we need to do all we can as communities, states, countries, and individuals.

Marshall Square

Extra Space Storage

Site Type: Business

Tour Type: Video

Link to Video

System: 288 flat roof-mounted panels

Annual Production: ~122 MWh

Why I went solar: Extra Space Storage chose to install a solar PV array at this site for two main reasons. One, the organization as a whole has implemented a robust renewables plan to address both environmental impact and to help reduce operating costs. Two, the local policy in Illinois allows a system owner to maximize the return on investment by participating in the ABP and receiving payment for Renewable Energy Credit (REC) generation.

Old Town Triangle

Karl Hjerpe

Site Type: Residential

Tour Type: Walk-By Solar Home

System: 20 roof-mounted panels, geothermal

Annual Production: 8525 kWh

Why I went solar: I wanted to take advantage of the free energy available on my South-facing roof. The home is heated and cooled by a geothermal heat pump, which runs on electricity. So instead of needlessly adding heat to the city, I use that energy to supply about 1/2 of my annual electricity needs. My house is part of an historical district (Old Town Triangle) in Chicago and subject to a number of exterior visual restrictions. I was able to work with the city authorities to maximize the number of panels without impacting the street view.

Ranch Triangle

Richard Stuckey

Site Type: Residential

Tour Type: Video

Link to Video

System: 12 flat roof-mounted panels

Annual Production: 2800kWh

Why I went solar: This is my contribution to saving the planet.

Sheffield NEighbors

Lisa Elkins

Site Type: Residential

Tour Type: Video

Link to Video

System: 14 flat roof-mounted panels

Annual Production: 4000kWh

Why I went solar: We installed our system to be good stewards of our planet and for the energy savings and smart economic incentives that go along with it.

Ukrainian Village

Ted Shieh

Site Type: Residential

Tour Type: Video

Link to Video

System: 32 flat roof-mounted PV panels, 3 solar thermal panels with 80 gal tank, backup batteries, EV, passive solar design

Annual Production: 13MWh

Why I went solar: We installed solar energy systems along with numerous energy efficiency features in our Greenstar Gold rated home to minimize our dependence on fossil fuel and carbon emissions, which are contributing to the greatest threat to our well being, accelerated climate change and pollution. The long term financial benefits of investing in renewable energy and divesting from fossil fuel is also a no-brainer.

West Rogers Park

Eric Heineman

Site Type: Residential

Tour Type: In-Person

System: 22 roof-mounted PV panels, EVs

Annual Production: 8423 kWh

Why I went solar: My wife and I wanted to show to the neighborhood that a 100 year old house could go solar and save money and save the world at the same time. Our house is across from Armstrong Elementary and it serves as an educational tour of renewable energy to the k-8 students! Our Solar PV system produces 110% of our energy usage and currently powers 2 electric cars.