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Writer's pictureBrad Morton

Project Spotlight: Oak Hill Cemetery Solar Array

Evansville, IN – In 2012, Evansville’s City Cemetery Superintendent, Chris Cooke, reached out to Morton Solar to see if there were any incentives to help a cemetery install solar. At that time, there was a small grant program available from the Indiana Dept. of Energy and Morton helped the cemetery apply for this grant to power the main office building on the property. The cemetery was denied the grant that year, but the seed of interest was sown and Chris became a champion for solar and continued to search for a method to get a solar array on the property.


Over the course of the next few years, Chris pursued different ways to make solar happen on the property. In 2016, the plan was to install an array that would provide power to Vogel School which was located across the street from the cemetery. This would have benefitted the school by allowing the school to net-meter with Vectren and obtain 100% of the energy at retail rate. However, the school corporation was not able to provide funding for the project. So, the project did not move forward.


Chris Cooke did not give up over the years and he continued to champion the project with the City of Evansville. Eventually, Evansville’s Mayor Lloyd Winnecke was able to bring the management of the utility company to the table and make the project move forward. The project was a win-win for the city and CenterPoint, and for all citizens of Evansville.


We commend both Chris Cooke and Mayor Lloyd Winnecke for their vision and persistence to make the Oak Hill Solar Project a reality.


Many of you may have seen this sign located on Morgan Avenue near Highway 41.

This solar array was the first utility scale solar project located within the city, and sends clean energy to homes and businesses along Morgan Avenue.



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