City of Evansville to Power Municipal Facilities with Renewable Energy

Evansville, Ind. - July 9, 2026 - The City of Evansville has announced an initiative to power 15-17 municipal facilities with renewable energy over the next four years. The project will provide significant long-term energy cost savings and reduce the city's contributions to climate change.

"Adding solar to city facilities is another step toward building a stronger, more resilient Evansville," said Mayor Stephanie Terry. "This project supports the goals of our Climate Action Plan while helping us manage long-term energy costs. Every dollar we save on energy is a dollar we can reinvest in the services and infrastructure our residents rely on."

Beginning this summer, the City will partner with multiple contractors to deploy solar energy systems across municipal facilities strategically selected based on energy consumption and the essential services they provide to the community. Included in the project are several of the City's highest energy-consuming facilities, including Mesker Park Amazonia, the Deaconess Aquatic Center, Swonder Ice Arena, and the CK Newsome Center, as well as critical public service facilities, such as Evansville Animal Care & Control, Mesker Park Zoo, Evansville Fire Department, and Central Dispatch. The solar project is expected to reduce the facilities' $1.6 million collective annual electricity costs by upwards of 50-60% for the 25-year lifespan of the systems.

The solar project will cost approximately $6.5 million. This investment will be offset by energy savings generated by the solar systems, as well as the federal Clean Energy Investment Tax Credit that will reimburse the City for 50-60% of the total project cost. The Evansville Water and Sewer Utility will front the initial expense through an interlocal agreement and the City will reimburse it over six years. With a return on investment of four to six years, the project is expected to pay for itself without impacting the City's operating budget.

"Because energy use in buildings and facilities contributes 78% of our community-wide greenhouse gas emissions, transforming how we power these spaces is critical to reducing emissions that cause climate change," said Lauren Lynch, Director of the Evansville Climate Collaborative. "This project is an important step forward, but lasting progress depends on all of us. By combining these investments with the actions of homeowners and businesses, we can make a meaningful difference and create cleaner communities for future generations."

This project advances The City's 2025 Climate Action Plan target to reduce community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 compared to 2023, and the 2019 Evansville City Council resolution to transition city operations to 100% renewable energy by 2050.