Solar On Williamsville Library Will Save Taxpayers $100K

The Williamsville Public Library & Museum installed solar panels (seen at the top of the roof) in late 2024. The panels will save taxpayers about $100,000 over the life of the system. (Photo courtesy of Williamsville Public Library & Museum)

How much does it cost to keep the lights on at a library and public museum? In Williamsville, about 20 minutes outside of Springfield, the price is shockingly low.

While many families, businesses, and facilities struggled with record-high energy bills last year, the Williamsville Public Library & Museum (WPLM) paid Ameren only $59 for its August 2025 bill – about 90% lower than the library and museum paid the previous August. These incredible savings are thanks to a 60-panel solar array installed by WindSolar USA in late 2024.

“It didn’t make sense for us not to go solar,” said WPLM Director Natalie Albers. “We're responsible for our neighbors’ tax dollars, just as we are responsible for the environment. Solar panels help us do both.” 

Solar Gives WPLM Massive Return on Investment

In addition to the environmental benefits solar energy provides, the Williamsville Public Library & Museum solar installation is projected to save up to $100,000 on energy bills over the life of the system – an approximately 70% bill reduction, delivering a compelling case study for solar energy cost savings for public facilities in Illinois.

In just one year since the installation was completed, WPLM has already saved more than $4,000 on energy costs. In fact, the solar installation on the library and museum is on track to have paid for itself in less than a year once state and federal incentives are finalized. 

WPLM has several other sustainability measures in addition to its solar array. The library and museum maintains rain barrels on several downspouts and installed a gravel swale to control drainage and erosion. (Photo courtesy of Williamsville Public Library & Museum)

WPLM achieved such a significant return on investment through a combination of solar incentives from the Illinois Shines program, federal Inflation Reduction Act tax credits, and an EBSCO grant awarded to only four other libraries nationwide.

The many solar incentives and discounts available made the installation a very easy sell to the WPLM Board, Albers said. 

Solar was not WPLM’s first sustainability investment; it is fully committed to environmental protection and education.

The library and museum also maintains rain barrels on several of its downspouts and also installed a gravel swale to help with drainage and erosion control in its outdoor education space.

Solar Savings at Home in Williamsville and Across Illinois

Albers also drew on personal experience to reinforce the value of solar energy while the Board considered the proposal: Albers and her husband were some of Illinois’ earliest adopters of residential solar power, installing panels on their home in 2001. Their solar panels align with other energy efficiency improvements to their home, such as geothermal and extra insulation, helping them greatly reduce their energy bills. They also recently installed battery storage at their house to guard against blackouts and increase their savings in winter months.

Albers hopes to see more families, public facilities, nonprofits, and other organizations adopt solar and storage to protect the environment and their pocketbooks. She joined Illinois legislators, clean energy groups, and consumer advocates in October 2025 to support the recently signed Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act, which will help more people afford solar and storage.

“WPLM is fortunate to be in a state that sees the value of clean energy,” Albers said. “I know my solar story – both at work and home – is not typical right now, but Illinois has leaders working tirelessly to ensure that, one day, everyone can enjoy the benefits that I have experienced.”