ILSFA Projects and Updates

ILSFA Success Stories

The Program Administrator is excited to share the success stories of how the Illinois Solar for All program is making a positive impact in communities across Illinois.

Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Bloomington, a non-profit home improvement store and donation center, participated in ILSFA’s Non-Profit/Public Facilities subprogram. The ReStore is part of Habitat for Humanity of McLean County, which works to eliminate substandard housing in the Bloomington community. Habitat for Humanity ReStore’s story shares how the organization adopted solar through ILSFA and directs the savings to their mission.

Also, a retired Chicago resident adopted solar through ILSFA’s Low-Income Distributed Generation (residential) subprogram. Although she was initially intimidated by the cost of getting solar panels, she learned that she could get solar with no upfront costs through ILSFA. Read this resident’s story to learn how much she reduced her electric bill with her new solar panels.

Additional Funding Means More ILSFA Projects Going Solar!

On March 3, the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) approved raising the Utility-funded ILSFA budget allocation from its current $10 million to $50 million for ILSFA’s 2021-2022 program year. This additional funding, made possible through the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, will support projects across all three ILSFA sub-programs.

Projects that were placed on the waitlists for the Low-Income Community Solar and the Non-Profit/Public Facility sub-programs in late 2021 were eligible for the additional funding, and now all funding has been allocated for the Low-Income Community Solar sub-program.

The rolling submission window for the Non-Profit/Public Facility Program and the Low-Income Distributed Generation (residential) sub-programs will remain open until funds are exhausted or until May 31, whichever comes first. After review to confirm eligibility, accepted projects will receive funding on a first-come, first-served basis.

Illinois Power Agency Submits Plan to Expand ILSFA’s Reach

In January, the Illinois Power Agency (IPA) published the 2022 Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan, which lays out how the IPA will develop and implement ILSFA over the next two years to make solar energy more accessible to income-eligible households and environmental justice communities across Illinois. The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act provides new opportunities within ILSFA, allocating additional funding for projects that help Illinois residents save money, while also providing support for small and emerging solar developers and promoting energy sovereignty.

The IPA welcomed public comments on the draft via a virtual public hearing and written comments in February, which were posted on the IPA’s website.

On March 21, the IPA filed the Plan with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC), the public agency that approves the Plan for implementation. Any objections to the plan as proposed needed to be submitted by April 4.  The ICC now takes the proposed plan and objections under consideration and will issue a final ruling. The final Plan will incorporate the final rulings by the ICC and will be published in July, at which point the IPA and Program Administrator will begin incorporating any program changes included in the 2022 Plan.

See ILSFA’s Growth and Impact in Program Year 2021

ILSFA continues to grow, reaching more income-eligible households and the non-profit organizations and public facilities that serve them. The Program Administrator recently published its Annual Summary detailing ILSFA’s impact for the June 2020 – May 2021 program year.

During the program year, ILSFA funded 84 projects that will produce 7,934 kilowatts AC of solar energy. Each year, the projects will reduce greenhouse gas emissions approximately equal to an average passenger vehicle driving over 30.7 million miles.

Read the Annual Summary to learn more about ILSFA’s impact, including Grassroots Education outreach efforts and job training.

Coming Soon: Apply to be an ILSFA Grassroots Educator

Grassroots educators are trusted members of their communities who educate income-eligible Illinois residents about ILSFA. Applications will be open soon for the next round of ILSFA grassroots education funding!

Community-based non-profits across the state are invited to submit a proposal for education campaigns about solar energy and ILSFA.

• Eligibility: Community-based organizations serving cities, towns, and rural communities in Illinois with strong local ties and a history of successful education campaigns; solar experience is not necessary.
• More details about the role of grassroots education organizations in ILSFA and the funding opportunity will be posted soon. Sign up to stay updated.

Job Postings

The Illinois Power Agency (IPA) is hiring a Program Associate to join the ILSFA team! The IPA is looking for a candidate to support the Illinois Solar for All Program Manager and the IPA team in promoting equitable access to Illinois’ clean energy economy and prioritizing consumer protections for participants. Learn more and apply.

The Illinois Solar for All Program Administrator is hiring an Approved Vendor Manager to join our team! We’re looking for a candidate to support the Approved Vendors who develop and install ILSFA solar projects. Learn more and apply.

Featured photo courtesy of Balance Solar, LLC