Geothermal Energy and Efficiency Upgrades Give New Life to an Old Illinois Church

The Euclid Avenue United Methodist Church in Oak Park, Illinois, transitioned toward net-zero energy by replacing a gas boiler with a $350,000 geothermal heat pump system in 2011, which reduced annual gas costs by $11,500 and greenhouse gas emissions by 81%. To offset the resulting increase in electricity demand, the church installed a 35-kW rooftop solar system in 2014 and later subscribed to a community solar farm in Rockford in 2021. Additional efficiency measures, including LED lighting and night setback temperature controls, further reduced electricity consumption by approximately 47,000 kWh annually.

• The church replaced its 50-year-old gas boiler with a 50-ton geothermal heat pump system in 2011, costing $350,000. This system utilized 52 wells dug 150 feet deep and resulted in an 81 percent annual reduction in cooling and heating costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
• The geothermal installation shifted the church's energy expenditure from fossil fuels to electricity; gas costs dropped from $13,000 in 2009 to $1,500 by 2014, while electricity costs rose by $3,000 annually to power the heat pumps.
• A 35-kW rooftop solar system consisting of 99 panels was installed in 2014 for $126,000, producing up to 43,000 kWh per year and offsetting 67,651 pounds of carbon emissions annually.
• To address remaining electricity needs, the church subscribed to the Rockford community solar farm in 2021 via Nexamp Solar, receiving approximately 50,200 kWh annually at a 20 percent discount compared to ComEd rates.
• Energy efficiency upgrades implemented in 2020, including LED lighting and night setback temperature controls, cost $20,000 and save the church approximately 47,000 kWh of electricity per year.

APA

Yañez-Barnuevo, M. (2023). Geothermal Energy and Efficiency Upgrades Give New Life to an Old Illinois Church. Environmental and Energy Study Institute. https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/geothermal-energy-and-efficiency-upgrades-give-new-life-to-an-old-illinois-church

Chicago

Yañez-Barnuevo, Miguel. Geothermal Energy and Efficiency Upgrades Give New Life to an Old Illinois Church. Environmental and Energy Study Institute, 2023. https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/geothermal-energy-and-efficiency-upgrades-give-new-life-to-an-old-illinois-church.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Yañez-Barnuevo |first1=Miguel |title=Geothermal Energy and Efficiency Upgrades Give New Life to an Old Illinois Church |publisher=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |date=21 April 2023 |url=https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/geothermal-energy-and-efficiency-upgrades-give-new-life-to-an-old-illinois-church |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{yaezbarnuevo2023geothermal, author = {Yañez-Barnuevo, Miguel}, title = {{Geothermal Energy and Efficiency Upgrades Give New Life to an Old Illinois Church}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2023}, month = apr, url = {https://www.eesi.org/articles/view/geothermal-energy-and-efficiency-upgrades-give-new-life-to-an-old-illinois-church}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }