The Faith Coalition for the Common Good held a public forum to discuss the present and future of solar power in the Springfield community. Around 50 people attended the forum at Faith Presbyterian Church downtown Thursday evening.
Speakers talked about technological breakthroughs in solar power, inequities in various economic groups in accessing solar power, the benefits of going solar and getting citizens to contact city leaders to ask them to urge CWLP to secure a study on utility-scale solar energy for the city.
Wade Halva with the faith-based environmental group, Faith in Place, came up from Marion, Illinois to talk about plans, possibilities, and programs available to low-income families and the state’s Illinois Solar for All program and the challenges CWLP customers face as opposed to regulated energy providers such as AMEREN.
CWLP was on hand to provide information on its various energy programs available to low-income households and talk about the future of solar as a utility-based energy source.
Deborah Williams with CWLP says the goal is to provide one third of its energy from renewables. She says supply chain issues are a major hurdle right now.