Bloomington's Police Headquarters is now the newest large-scale commercial solar installation in the city.
"Police Headquarters is an ideal location for solar energy collection given the building's considerable 24/7 power consumption and its unshaded roof," Mayor John Hamilton said in a statement. "Investing in this technology helps shrink both the city's carbon footprint and its utility bill."
The system will produce 17 percent of the building's energy use and save nearly $9,000 in energy costs each year - in effect paying for itself in less than 20 years.
The installation was announced at the same time as the "Solarize Bloomington Initiative" which resulted in 176 signed letters of intent from residents to pursue solar installation of their own under a discounted group purchase.
City officials also plan to invest in a much larger solar installation at the City Hall Showers Building later this summer.