The City of Geneva is one of 10 Chicago area communities to achieve national recognition for encouraging the growth of solar energy.

The City was awarded the bronze level designation under SolSmart, a program funded by the U.S. Department of Energy that helps local governments reduce barriers to solar energy for residential and business customers. Geneva was recognized at a virtual event at Argonne National Laboratory March 17.

Geneva earned the SolSmart achievement by establishing a checklist that guides applicants through the solar permitting process. The checklist provides clear and transparent information on permit requirements, which saves time spent on revisions and accelerates permit approval. The City also created a solar power resources web page, which includes the checklist. Lastly, the City has begun drafting a new ordinance to help streamline future solar power development, which was another bronze level requirement.

“The work that we did to earn SolSmart is the kind of practical climate action that municipal leaders can take to both reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help residents and businesses save money on energy costs,” said Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns, who also is the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus Environment Committee and Energy Subcommittee Chairman, and Caucus Executive Board Secretary. “We hope our work inspires other communities to collaborate to achieve a better environment and a brighter future.”

In addition to working with the SolSmart program, the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus has led the Greenest Region Compact, which is the largest regional sustainability collaborative for municipalities in the country. Geneva is a member of the Compact, and the City also has passed a resolution supporting the Chicago region’s Climate Action Plan.

For more information about Geneva’s environmental stewardship, visit the City’s website.