The Rules, Administration & Procedure Committee on Dec. 2 approved a resolution establishing a rebate program that offers Aurora residents a $1,000 rebate for residential solar panel installations and a $500 rebate for electric vehicle charging stations. The program would apply retroactively to installations completed or planned between Jan. 1, 2025, and Dec. 31, 2026.

“So what I've decided to do is offer 1000 dollars rebate for those who are interested in adding solar panels as well as $500 rebate for those who are interested in adding an EV charging station,” Alderman Will White said while presenting the measure. He described the program as intended to defray installation costs and encourage a shift to renewable energy.

Committee members asked about typical EV charger costs and whether the application should require a bid from a local installer. In response, Alderman White gave a broad cost range for residential chargers, saying they typically run “from 2,500 to $6,500” depending on equipment and electrical upgrades. When asked whether the application would require at least one bid from an Aurora contractor, White acknowledged that he had overlooked that provision and said an Aurora-based installer exists and he would add a local-bid requirement prior to the Committee of the Whole review.

The committee moved the resolution, and the transcript records the vote as passed (committee roll shows the chair declaring the ayes). The measure will proceed to the next steps in the city's approval process for final implementation details and program rules.