The Conservation Foundation celebrated the longest day of sunlight by hosting a Summer Solstice Social.
The event, which was co-sponsored by the Illinois Solar Energy Association, brought people out to McDonald Farm to learn more about new technologies they use that utilize energy from the sun.
Those include a 2.4 kilowatt solar panel that was installed in 2010 on top of one of their barns, and a 2.4 kilowatt wind turbine- both of which combine to produce 4,500 kilowatt hours of electricity every year.
“There are a lot more people wanting to learn more about it and wanting to learn the cost effectiveness of it. To some people it might not be too cost effective, but to others it might be, so people are starting to learn more about alternative energy, how to save money, how to reduce our carbon footprint and just do something good for the environment,” said Brook McDonald, President and CEO of The Conservation Foundation.
About 25 percent of the electricity used on the offices at the farm comes from the solar panels and wind turbine.
Naperville News 17’s Alyssa Bochenek reports.
