April 18, 2003—The most powerful solar energy system in Illinois will be dedicated by State and local officials on Wednesday, April 23 at 10 AM to celebrate Earth Day. This new solar hot water system, which produces more energy than any other solar system in the state, is installed at a large laundromat at 6240 W. Cermak in Berwyn, Illinois, where it saves 1.4 million BTUs of natural gas each day (equivalent to 281 kilowatt hours).
“This project demonstrates how, using solar technology, a business can harness the power of the sun to reduce energy consumption and operate a business more efficiently,” says Jack Lavin, Director of the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). The system received a $69,130 matching grant from the Renewable Energy Resources fund administered by DCEO. This State program pays up to 50% of solar installations for homes or businesses.
The system is installed at the 50-year-old “World’s Largest Laundromat and Dry Cleaners.” This 13,000-sq. ft. self-service laundry has 145 washing machines. With 24 solar collector panels on the roof, each measuring 4 ft. by 10 ft., the system is quite impressive.
Based on DCEO calculations, which include state and federal incentives, this project is expected to pay for itself in approximately 11 years. Some systems pay for themselves in less than five years, depending on fuel savings and financing.
The solar system is the primary supplier of hot water for the laundry and acts as a pre-heater to the existing water heater. The system can heat 1,200 gallons a day (over 300,000 gallons annually) of cold water to 120. For more, thereby saving thousands of dollars a year in energy costs. The system is maintenance-free, totally automatic, and has a design life of over 30 years.
