As we enter the first week of 2024, I am committed to encouraging Illinois homeowners and landlords to install solar panels on their roofs this year and take advantage of available incentives.
According to 2020 data from the Energy Information Administration, only 5% of U.S. households have solar panels, compared to 20% in Germany and 30% in Australia. Researchers say one of the main reasons fewer Americans are choosing to install solar panels is the relatively low price of electricity in our country.
But as our country faces aging power lines, the climate risks associated with dependence on fossil fuels, and the rising costs of addressing the problem, electricity prices are fluctuating as usual. Installing solar panels on your roof is a great way to cut costs, and Illinois is more than ideal for this.
Send letters to letters@suntimes.com. To be considered for publication, letters must include your full name, city or hometown, and a phone number for verification. Letters should contain a maximum of around 375 words.
When Illinois passed the Workplace Climate and Equity Act in 2021, it became much easier for homeowners in the state to install solar panels on their roofs. Federal incentives such as Solar for All and Illinois Renewable Solar, state incentives such as the 30 percent installation tax credit, and available financing options allow almost all homeowners to install solar panels on their roof.
I recently installed solar panels on my Buffalo Grove home for several reasons:
• I am doing everything I can to help our state transition to a clean energy economy to prevent climate change.
• We save money. This will reduce my monthly electricity bill. In my case, I found that the financing options for installing solar panels and the promised savings on my electric bills were more favorable than continuing in this situation.
When you're ready to take the next step, compare available solar options and visit reverse solar auctions to find the best deal. Most solar energy companies offer a free quote based on an analysis of your site's energy usage and solar radiation. If you use less energy, you will need multiple solar panels to measure your electrical load. Also, contact your utility company to find out what energy efficiency programs they offer in addition to the benefits of rooftop solar panels.
Science shows we need a 100% clean energy economy, and fast. In Illinois, we have reached a point where a sustainable solution is the most cost-effective solution. This year, I'm calling on all Illinois homeowners to make a change and save their hard-earned money to fight climate change.
State Rep. Daniel Didek, D-Buffalo Grove
A pointless journey to the end of ignorance
What will happen to the country that gave the world many important achievements, such as the American Constitution, the telegraph, the telephone, the first flight of a powered aircraft, the first liquid rocket engine, a nuclear power plant, a man on the moon? etc. He said the country was on a path of ignorance similar to that of the Middle Ages.
Can we stand by while groups with false moral beliefs ban books, dictionaries, and poems because these publications do not conform to their interpretation of accepted knowledge? What are these groups most afraid of?
Remember that false moral beliefs once attacked people who claimed that the Earth was round, that the Earth was not the center of the universe, etc.
We must vote to prevent this from happening to the country.
Warren Rogers, Orlando Park
There is no point in limiting the pro-Palestinian opposition
SE Kappom's description of pro-Palestinian protests in the United States turns them into crowds with absurd participants. The comparison to the church's fake anti-LGBTQ protest is inflammatory, baseless, and attempts to make the reader believe that more informed people, not just in America, but around the world, are afraid of Israel's actions.
With special protests aimed at drawing attention to Israel's bombing of our country, which has killed thousands of men, women and Palestinian children, kitchen sink accusations may find support among those who support the not knowing the truth.
However, the United Nations Supreme Court, considering the facts of Israel's inhumane and disproportionate response to the attack on Hamas on October 7, drew attention to the extremely serious actions of the Israeli armed forces.
Conrad Mocarski, West Beverly
Special thanks for your kindness
I would like to thank the Sun-Times delivery driver at 5200 West Dakin Street for being so attentive Friday morning. My papers arrived in the middle of the first snowstorm and were neatly stacked under the front door overhang for easy access.
As an older person, I really appreciated this act of respect. However, it will be just as good as at any age. As a youth newspaper distributor, I understand that this job is not as easy as some people think. Thank you for your attention to customers.
David L. Milligan, Portage Park
My three biggest regrets after six years of sunshine
