Another Greenscam:Mayor Daley 'Green' Initiative Turns Boondoggle

BGA and CBS Chicago reports:

Back in March 2004, amid a flurry of press releases, then-Mayor Richard M. Daley announced a deal that promised to save taxpayer money, reduce natural gas consumption and bring "green" jobs to Chicago.

But taxpayers might see red when they learn how the deal turned out. More than seven years later, the initiative has been quietly suspended amid problems with some of the equipment – and acknowledgements by city officials that taxpayers will probably lose money on the deal and never realize the energy savings that Daley touted, the Better Government Association has learned.


The arrangement centered on solar-powered hot water heating systems made by North Carolina-based Solargenix Energy LLC with technology designed at the University of Chicago.

The city agreed to spend up to $5 million on the eco-friendly systems, and install them on more than 100 public buildings, such as firehouses and police stations, yielding an estimated $7 million in energy savings over 30 years.

In exchange for that commitment – and an additional $1.7 million no-interest loan through the Daley administration – Solargenix agreed to open a factory in Chicago, employing at least 15 workers, and build the solar equipment there.

"This is an excellent example of what we can accomplish through the synergy of the city, the private sector and our universities," Daley was quoted as saying at an event marking the opening of the factory at 36th and Morgan.

But the deal never lived up to expectations. The city didn’t anticipate the high cost of installation, while Solargenix lost money and hasn’t seen its business flourish in Chicago as hoped. The company’s Bridgeport plant was eerily quiet on a recent weekday – no panels were being made and only two workers were seen on the factory floor.

You'll want to read the whole article. Being "green" is a scam and a half. Watch the video down below.