Collinsville goes ‘green’ to preserve quality of life, seeks more places for solar arrays
An aerial view of Collinsville’s main solar panel installation that serves city buildings, such as city hall.
By Devese “Dee” Ursery • [email protected] • [email protected]
The City of Collinsville has nearly completed the installation of its solar array project, with some units yet to be placed on additional city buildings.
In October of 2020, the city adopted its sustainability plan as a long-range way to enrich the quality of life for present and future generations of Collinsville residents through sustainable practices.
According to community coordinator Jed Robbins, Collinsville has completed solar installations at city hall and fire station No. 1. At city hall, the $619,000 project was 88% funded through financial incentives — including Illinois Solar for All credits, federal tax incentives, and Ameren Illinois rebates — reducing the city’s net cost to just $77,000.
“The system offsets 100% of the building’s energy use and has a 4.6-year payback,” Robbins said. “The $293,000 cost for the solar system at fire station No.1 was 84% funded through similar incentives, bringing the city’s net cost down to $48,000. It also offsets 100% of the facility’s energy use and will pay for itself in 5.6 years.”
“The city’s solar initiative is designed to reduce our long-term energy costs,” according to City Manager Derrick Jackson. “By generating clean energy on-site, we’re lowering utility expenses for taxpayers while reducing our carbon footprint.”
These solar arrays installations began in October of 2024 and were completed by April of 2025, according to Jackson.
According to Jackson, the police department’s solar project will not move forward because it was discovered that police departments, jails, and similar facilities are not eligible for Illinois Solar for All incentives, which then made the project less financially appealing.
The city has not ruled out other options to take advantage of the funds and incentives allocated for solar energy programs.
“The city is actively exploring additional solar installations at other municipal facilities, including the water treatment plant and the wastewater treatment plant,” Jackson said. “The water treatment plant solar project should break ground in September and the wastewater treatment plant will likely break ground early in 2026 after review and city council approval.”
According to Jackson, Collinsville’s solar program is a long-term investment in both fiscal responsibility and environmental stewardship.
Above is another view of the town’s solar panel arrays.
“These projects position our community as a leader in renewable energy adoption, while delivering meaningful savings for residents and businesses over time,” Jackson said. “We’re proud to be taking concrete steps toward a cleaner, more sustainable future, which is a goal established in the city’s sustainability plan.”
