ComEd President and CEO Gil Quiniones, Illinois Commerce Commission Chairman Doug Scott, Boone County Board Chairman Karl Johnson and representatives of Ameresco, Inc. cut the ribbon on December 9, 2024, on a community solar project constructed on a former landfill owned by Boone County and operated by the city of Belvidere. It is the 160th community solar project in ComEd’s northern Illinois service area and one of the first to serve a county government and area businesses.
“The Belvidere project reflects the growing interest beyond the residential sector in the benefits of community solar, and the continued growth of renewables on our system,” said Quiniones. “And we are proud to partner with Ameresco in the conversion of a former landfill to contribute to the clean energy transition and to the local economy.”
Located near the intersection of Illinois Route 76 and Squaw Prairie Road, the project includes two adjacent solar arrays on 34 acres and more than 9,600 solar modules with a total generation capacity of 3.5 megawatts (MW). Boone County is subscribing to approximately 36% of the energy generated, which will provide electricity to county facilities that support public health and safety and other services. Subscribers to the project also include a variety of commercial customers. Community solar subscribers earn credits on their electric bills based on their share of the energy produced and can reduce their electricity bills by up to 10% annually.
“Community solar makes it easier for Illinoisans to access the savings and benefits tied to clean energy, regardless of their income level,” said Chairman Scott. “CEJA set the state on a path toward increased renewable energy sources over the coming decades, and Illinois will continue to make sure renters, homeowners, and commercial customers alike are able to plug into the value tied to the energy transition.”
“The solar project at our City-County landfill in Belvidere has been in the works for several years and was first initiated by former County Administrator Ken Terrinoni,” said Karl Johnson, Boone County Board Chairman. “Our local small businesses can benefit by subscribing to the community solar program and the county will generate additional lease and tax revenue. Landfills are an ideal location for solar projects because there are limited uses for these properties. We will help generate renewable energy while preserving our precious farmland. This is truly a win-win solution.”
“We are thrilled to participate in this important milestone for community solar in the ComEd zone,” said Jon Mancini, Senior Vice President at Ameresco. “This project underscores our commitment to fostering sustainable energy solutions that benefit the county and small businesses. By providing clean, renewable energy, we are reducing the carbon footprint, supporting economic growth and creating a greener future all.”
Belvidere is an Equity Investment Eligible Community (EIEC), and the state’s Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) of 2021 expands access for such areas to the clean energy economy. EIEC designation requires that at least 10% of the workforce on community solar projects includes equity eligible people, increasing to 30% by 2030.
Community solar allows all ComEd customers to participate in the benefits of clean solar energy without installing solar panels of their own. In Illinois, community solar customers can subscribe for up to 200% of their last 12 months of electricity usage. Energy generated by the community solar project flows to ComEd’s grid and becomes part of the overall energy supply.
The 160 active community solar sites in ComEd’s 11,400-square-mile region serve more than 30,000 customers. More than 1,100 MW of Distributed Energy Resources, including 270 MW of community solar and 450 MW of residential rooftop solar systems, have been interconnected to the ComEd system. ComEd expects to have over 1,900 MW interconnected by 2025 and approximately 3,600 MW interconnected by 2030, or enough energy to power approximately 120,000 US homes for one year.
CEJA increases support for renewable energy to reach 40 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040 in Illinois. It creates nearly 9,800 MW of new solar capacity and increases funding for the Illinois Solar for All (ILSFA) program – which provides lower-income customers access to solar power – from $30 million a year to $70 million a year – to support grants for solar projects.
The official website of ILSFA maintains lists of community solar projects, including information on subscription availability and how to register. ComEd customers can visit the concerned webpage (Solar) in the Official website to learn more about solar options, the interconnection process, and use the ComEd community solar calculator, which provides an estimate for potential customer savings for community solar and rooftop solar systems.
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