Solar Electricity Works in Chicago

The highest peaks in electricity demand in Chicago generally occur on sunny summer days when air conditioners are running full-blast and refrigerators are working overtime. It is also on these sunny days that solar electric modules generate the most electricity. By connecting them to ComEd's electricity grid, the amount of electricity that has to be delivered by ComEd is reduced, which decreases the risk of blackouts.

More Solar Systems to Come

Spire Solar Chicago produces solar electric modules and designs and installs systems using these modules. Spire Solar Chicago has already installed systems on the Frank W. Reilly Elementary School and the ComEd North Side Commercial Center. Plans for installations in 2001 include five more Chicago public schools, several residential buildings, and many more Chicago museums including the DuSable Museum of African American History.

In addition, the City of Chicago has announced that it intends to have Spire Solar Chicago, in cooperation with ComEd, deploy a 500 kW solar electric system on a brownfield on Chicago's South Side thereby converting it into a Solar Brightfield(TM). This array will be the first installment of a planned 2.5 MW solar array, which will be the world's largest when completed.

The U.S. Department of Energy, the City of Chicago Department of Environment, ComEd, and Spire Solar Chicago are key players in the ''greening'' of Chicago, as is the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs.

Local Market Development

Roger Little, President & CEO of Spire Corporation, said, ''We are pleased that our efforts in Chicago are gaining momentum. We are strong believers in small-scale distributed manufacturing of solar electric modules and systems. We have found that local production stimulates local markets and that is certainly happening in Chicago. More and more solar electricity is being used to provide clean, reliable electric power throughout America and the world.''

Spire Corporation is the world's largest supplier of solar electric module manufacturing equipment, turnkey production lines, and solar energy businesses with 144 customer facilities in 39 countries worldwide.

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