What Public Libraries Can Learn From Bloomington’s Solar‑Powered Expansion

Key Takeaways:

• The Bloomington Public Library installed 592 solar panels in 2024 

• Panel installation was completed simultaneously with a major expansion project, showing how future planning and sustainability can align

• As an Illinois Solar For All project, the installation came at no upfront cost to the Bloomington Public Library or local taxpayers

• Even though electricity prices are rising, the Bloomington Public Library’s solar panels have prevented the library from experiencing major cost increases

• The solar panels cover approximately 20% of the library’s electricity usage annually

As the Bloomington Public Library was undergoing a major expansion in 2024, it took another step toward a better future by installing nearly 600 solar panels on its brand-new roof.

The Bloomington Public Library installed 592 solar panels during its major expansion project in 2024, helping the library save money even while electricity costs are skyrocketing. (Photo courtesy of Bloomington Public Library)

Rather than approaching solar as a separate project, the library decided it would start its new post-expansion era with renewable energy in mind. Two years later, the Bloomington Public Library’s solar panels have generated enough clean energy to offset the emissions of over 1.3 million miles driven in a gas-powered car, according to the library’s online solar panel performance tracker and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Equivalences Calculator.

At a time when electricity costs have skyrocketed across the nation, the Bloomington Public Library’s 592 solar panels have almost entirely insulated it from paying more for energy – even after adding 25,000 square feet in new space through the expansion.

“Even though we made a large addition, thanks to the solar panels, we’ve only seen a small utility bill increase rather than a large spike like many other people,” said Jeanne Hamilton, Executive Director of the Bloomington Public Library. “As a public facility, we need to be responsible stewards of our local tax dollars. Going solar was one of the most common-sense ways to do so.”

About 20% of the library’s annual electricity needs are covered by the installation, according to Hamilton.

Illinois Solar For All: Going Solar for Free

Not only have the panels protected local taxpayers from footing a larger utility bill for the library, but they were installed for almost $0 upfront because the Bloomington Public Library accessed the Illinois Solar for All (ILSFA) program. 

ILSFA – one of several solar savings programs in Illinois in 2026 – allows public facilities, low-income households, nonprofits, and more to install solar for as little as $0. Hamilton said qualifying was seamless, as the library received guidance from the Ecology Action Center and StraightUp Solar, who completed the installation.

StraightUp Solar, which completed the solar installation at the Bloomington Public Library, helped the library navigate the Illinois Solar for All program. The program enabled the library to install solar panels for $0 upfront. (Photo courtesy of Bloomington Public Library)

“It was such an easy process,” Hamilton said. “Our partners put all the paperwork together for us.”

As for the library’s solar panels, they demonstrate yet another way a library can have a major impact on a community year in and year out. In just the first five months of 2026, the Bloomington Public Library has already avoided enough carbon emissions to take 20 gas-powered cars off the road for a year, according to the EPA’s greenhouse gas calculator.

“It’s incredibly important for local institutions to serve as positive examples,” Hamilton said. “I hope the Bloomington Public Library can do just that as our neighbors and other libraries look for ways to cut down on electricity costs or reduce their environmental impacts.