Independent power producer Soltage has begun construction on three solar projects developed under the Illinois Community Solar Program.
Subscribers to these solar projects will include local commercial, municipal and residential energy consumers that Soltage is serving alongside longtime Illinois partner MC Squared Energy Services. These three projects, once constructed, are anticipated to provide more than 10,000 MWh of renewable energy per year and operate for a minimum of 40 years.
“Customers who subscribe to these projects receive significant savings on their electricity bills, as well as price certainty over time as these projects will be running for many decades,” said Jon Cole, senior VP of development at Soltage.
These solar projects, located in the cities of Freeport and Danville, Illinois, demonstrate Soltage’s continuing commitment to build out clean energy infrastructure to serve Illinois customers. The addition of these projects brings Soltage’s community solar portfolio in the state to eleven individual assets.
These projects aim to integrate both renewable energy and ecological restoration by incorporating native vegetation beneath the solar panels. The operational protocols for these solar projects feature 27 unique varieties of low profile and pollinator friendly native vegetation planted across over 20 acres of land. In addition to producing clean energy, the projects will serve as a critical habitat for local flora and fauna.
The Illinois Community Solar Program was established in 2018 by the Future Energy Jobs Act to support the development of new photovoltaic distributed generation and community solar projects in Illinois. A component of the program, Climate and Equitable Jobs Act obligates the Illinois Commerce Commission to take various actions to implement new programs, initiatives, and directives to further the State’s goals of transitioning the state to 100% clean energy.
Soltage is a leader in the development, financing and operation of distributed utility-scale solar and storage assets for utility, commercial, industrial and municipal customers across the United States. The company has developed more than 125 clean energy projects with more than 450 MW total distributed generating capacity under construction and management. Soltage is backed by a group of investors including Prudential Capital Group and is headquartered in Jersey City, New Jersey.
— Solar Builder magazine
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