Chicago's South Side may soon be home to the largest urban solar power plant in the United States. The proposed project, slated for completion by the end of the year, would provide roughly 200 green jobs and produce 10 megawatts of energy. If Exelon and SunPower Corporation secure a loan through Obama's economic stimulus plan, they'll redevelop 39 acres of an industrial brownfield site to house the 32,800 solar panels. If the $60-million project is built, city residents may breathe a sigh of relief: Cook County (where Chicago is located) is home to three coal-fired power plants, which contribute to at least 2,800 asthma attacks each year. The proposed solar project could power 1,200 to 1,500 homes a year--not nearly enough to replace the coal-fired power plants, but nonetheless a big step toward a clean energy future.
--Della Watson
