As Mayor of Goshen, I strongly support the use of solar and other forms of renewable energy in our community. To assist us in becoming more solar-friendly, I am pleased to announce the City of Goshen’s participation in the SolSmart designation process.

Goshen has long been recognized as a community that respects and protects the environment. Previously designated as a “Green Community of the Year” by the Indiana Association of Cities and Towns, Goshen is committed to promoting a variety of sustainable practices throughout the community. This commitment is evidenced by the 2014 Comprehensive Plan which includes the following statement:

“Sustainable cities meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the needs of future generations. The City can play an important role in achieving greater sustainability and reducing pollution.”

The Comprehensive Plan includes many practices that can increase sustainability, including encouraging the use of renewable energy resources, such as solar power. With the help of the SolSmart team, we believe we can develop useful tools and strategies to significantly expand the use of solar energy by business, government and residents.

A number of privately owned solar projects have already been installed, with more in the planning stages. The City of Goshen is entering into NIPSCO’s Feed-In Tariff Program and within 12 months will be installing a 192 kW array at our municipal waste water treatment facility.  As a major hub for manufacturing, Goshen also has a unique opportunity to locate solar energy systems on the rooftops of industrial buildings. Several million square feet of rooftops could be used for solar applications. We just approved a $500,000 investment for an industrial rooftop installation and several others are in the planning stages.

In order to monitor progress in expanding solar capacity, we are committed to tracking the installation of new solar projects throughout the City.  Goshen is prepared to dedicate staff time to work with the SolSmart team to implement programs, policies and procedures that will expand the use of solar installations in our community. The contact person for Goshen’s SolSmart participation will be Becky Hershberger at Beckyhershberger@goshencity.com, 574-533-3579.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Stutsman
Mayor