Illinois Solar for All Updates and Upcoming Events
Project Submission Updates
The 2018/2019 project submission window for the Illinois Solar for All Low-Income Distributed Generation and Non-Profit/Public Facilities sub-programs closed on Friday, June 28, 2019. Projects submitted in the Non-Profit/Public Facilities sub-program total over 3,300 kW in system capacity and $8 million in incentive value. The Low-Income Distributed Generation sub-program had 2,000 kW in system capacity and $3.2 million in incentive value submitted. The Low-Income Community Solar sub-program, which closed for 2018/2019 project applications on Thursday, June 13, 2019, received submissions totaling over 59,000 kW and $176 million in incentive value.
Based on the total incentive value for the projects submitted during the 2018/2019 project submission windows, the Project Selection process will be necessary for the Low-Income Community Solar and the Non-Profit/Public Facility sub-programs, but not for the Low-Income Distributed Generation sub-program. The Program Administrator is now reviewing the submissions and working with Approved Vendors to clarify and correct information where necessary. During these review and cure periods, projects may be withdrawn or found ineligible. If, based on status changes, the total Renewable Energy Credit (REC) contract amounts in a sub-program fall below the 2018/2019 sub-program budget, a project selection process may no longer be necessary. In that case, all remaining eligible projects would be funded, and any remaining sub-program budget would be rolled into the sub-program budget for the next program year, 2019/2020. The data and status of projects within the review process will be updated regularly.
2019/2020 Program Year Calendar
The calendar for the Illinois Solar for All 2019/2020 program year has been announced! The upcoming program year’s project submission window will open at 9:00 AM CDT on Wednesday, September 4, 2019 for the Low-Income Distributed Generation, Non-Profit/Public Facilities, and Low-Income Community Solar sub-programs and will remain open for two weeks. For more details and a full list of the project application timeline, visit the website here.
Low-Income Community Solar Pilot
Preliminary information will be released shortly by the Illinois Power Agency’s Procurement Administrator regarding the Low-Income Community Solar Pilot Project Procurement. This is a separate procurement from the Low-Income Community Solar sub-program administered by Elevate Energy and features a different set of requirements. These include participating in a competitive procurement with Renewable Energy Credit prices set through a bidding process. A webcast outlining preliminary requirements will be held on Wednesday, July 31, 2019 at 9:00 AM CDT. For more information on the procurement and to register for the webcast, click here.
Job Training Events
Attention Approved Vendors, solar developers, and contractors! You can connect with one another and FEJA trainees ready to work on your projects on Tuesday, September 17, 2019 from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM CDT in Chicago. Register here today! Additional event locations are coming soon. Interested in learning more about participating job training organizations? Visit the Job Training Providers directory.
FEJA Workforce Development Report
Illinois Solar for All was made possible by the landmark 2016 Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA). FEJA was created to stimulate economic growth and create jobs, in addition to making the benefits of solar energy accessible to all. This is done through statewide job training programs administered by ComEd and implemented by schools, business, and non-profit organizations that recruit candidates, develop curriculums, and manage the programs. On Monday, July 1, 2019, ComEd released the 2018 Workforce Development Report, which details the job training programs’ missions and outcomes, such as Solar Training Pipeline Program and Multi-Cultural Job Training Program.