Aurora offering rebates on solar, electric vehicle chargers
An Aurora city councilman has launched a citywide program offering rebates to those who have installed solar panels or electric vehicle charging stations at their homes or businesses.
Ald. Will White, as a whole, recently announced that this year he would commit up to $10,000 in city funds to the Aurora solar and electric vehicle charging rebate program. Eligible residents, businesses and nonprofits can get up to $1,000 toward the installation of solar panels or up to $500 toward the installation of electric vehicle chargers.
“If we all work together toward sustainable living, I think Aurora can really be a pioneer in the state of Illinois when it comes to energy conservation and energy efficiency,” White told The Beacon-News.
He noted that Aurora already has several high-profile initiatives related to sustainability, such as its 2019 Sustainability Plan, the newly created Sustainability Division and the upcoming CEJA Workforce Development Center. With this in mind, he began thinking about how residents could get involved.
So its Aurora Solar and EV Charging Rebate program will give residents the opportunity to reduce their own impact on global warming and other negative environmental effects, White said.
Since this is a rebate program, any work must already be completed before an application is made, according to White. To be eligible, the work must have been performed last year or this year, therefore between January 1, 2025 and December 31, 2026, by an electrician or contractor approved by the city and providing proof of payment of the prevailing wage, according to the request.
Those who apply must also be in good standing with the city and show proof of purchase. Additionally, they must have obtained all necessary permits, passed required inspections, and attempted to obtain a quote from a company located in Aurora.
Applications can be found on Alderman White’s webpage: yourvoice.aurora.il.us/aldermanatlarge2
“My goal is to have as many people apply now, so that towards the end of the year I can explore what this discount program will look like next year,” he said.
In recent years, particularly under the leadership of Mayor John Laesch, Aurora has made sustainability a key focus. The city won a statewide award last year for its commitment to making its vehicle fleet more sustainable by adding electric and hybrid vehicles, created the first-ever sustainability director position, began studying the adoption of extensible energy codes and placed a temporary moratorium on data centers, citing in part environmental reasons.
City staff members also develop loan programs to support sustainable modernization of commercial and residential properties. One of those programs, the Commercial Property Assessed Clean Energy financing program, commonly known as C-PACE, is expected to go before the Aurora City Council for final approval Tuesday evening.
Sustainability, particularly through green building, was a big part of Laesch’s campaign platform last year. And when he was previously a city councilor, Laesch had a rebate program similar to the one White recently launched.
After Laesch was sworn in as mayor and White was named to replace him, White said he heard from people interested in continuing Laesch’s program, so he made some changes and restarted it.
Aldermen receive funds from the local Hollywood casino tax each year to spend on those they represent, and White devotes half of his annual amount to this program.
As for the rest of the funds, White said he is considering other initiatives. One priority on his list is permanent supportive housing for the city’s homeless population, he said, and another focuses on job opportunities for those who graduate from CEJA’s future workforce development center.
rsmith@chicagotribune.com
