ComEd and Summit Ridge Energy today announced the completion of three community solar projects in Streator, Ill., including the 80th community solar project in ComEd's northern Illinois service region. The projects will enable residents to save money on their ComEd electric bills while supporting the expansion of renewable energy and Illinois' ambitious clean energy goals.
"ComEd and Summit Ridge Energy are proud to play a leading role in the growth of community solar in Illinois," said Scott Vogt, vice president of strategy and energy policy at ComEd. "These three new projects, and reaching the 80th project milestone, demonstrate our commitment to increasing equitable access to clean energy, and we applaud Summit Ridge for its leadership."
The three projects include more than 16,700 total solar panels and occupy 38 acres along North 14th Road in Streator. Combined, the projects will generate approximately six megawatts of clean energy, enough to serve the energy needs of between 1,000 and 1,200 average homes.
"We are pleased to be playing a significant role in making the ComEd region one of the nation's fastest growing markets for community solar," said Mark Raeder, principal, Summit Ridge Energy. "We expect to have completed over 50 community solar projects in northern Illinois by the end of this year, helping ComEd bring reliable, clean energy to its customers."
Summit Ridge Energy is the largest commercial solar developer and owner-operator in Illinois, with an energy portfolio of more than 250 megawatts across the state.
Enacted in 2021, Illinois' Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) increases support for renewable energy to reach 40 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040. It creates nearly 9,800 megawatts of new solar capacity and increases funding for the Illinois Solar for All program -- which gives lower-income customers access to solar power --from $30 million to $70 million annually. By the end of 2023, ComEd expects to double the number of community solar projects on its electric grid to more than 150, serving approximately 36,000 customers.
The multi-year grid and rate plans ComEd filed with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) earlier this year support this rapid expansion of renewable energy and help ensure equitable access to the benefits of clean energy under CEJA. The plans align with ComEd 2030, the company's recently announced vision for a carbon-free energy future that will benefit all communities and meet customers' changing needs for the rest of this decade and beyond.
Community solar allows all ComEd customers to participate in the benefits of clean solar energy without installing solar panels of their own. Participants subscribe to a solar energy "farm" of solar panels owned by an independent developer and earn credits on their monthly ComEd bills for their portion of the energy produced by the project. In Illinois community solar customers can subscribe up to 110 percent 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.
