The Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA), a national trade association representing more than 100 community solar companies, businesses, and nonprofits, has named Illinois Power Agency (IPA) Director Brian Granahan a recipient of its 2025 Community Solar Champion Award. Brian joins 11 other leaders nationwide who have been recognized for their exceptional leadership in expanding affordable, reliable, and locally generated energy.
To date, the IPA’s solar incentive programs have supported 238 successfully energized community solar projects serving over 50,000 subscribers. An additional 510 community solar projects are currently under development.
The IPA’s progress in supporting community solar project development reflects an inclusive, innovative, and accessible approach to program design, such as the Energy Sovereignty preferences supporting subscriber ownership or cooperative models in Illinois Solar for All’s Community Solar sub-program.
Illinois has been consistently recognized as a national model for community solar. Earlier this year, the Institute for Local Self-Reliance ranked Illinois as the top state in its 2025 Community Power Scorecard in recognition of the state’s focus on community benefits and empowerment. In 2023, Illinois Solar for All was one of five grand prize winners and the only state program winner of the U.S. Department of Energy’s American-Made 2023 Sunny Awards for its success in delivering significant benefits to income-eligible households through community solar.
The IPA’s efforts supporting community solar fall under the state’s larger goals to achieve 40% renewable energy by 2030 and 50% by 2040. As of September 2025, the IPA’s programs and procurements have supported over 100,000 total projects representing 12,000 MW, spanning solar for residents and businesses, community solar, and utility-scale solar and wind projects.