The flowers grow under Pivot Energy’s community solar garden in Kankakee, Illinois.pivot energy
On May 3, the Illinois Power Authority (IPA) announced the finalists for Illinois’ newest community solar project. The project, when built, will add enough solar capacity to power more than 26,000 Illinois households, and will achieve the 2021 Landmark Climate and Employment Level It is made possible by funding from the Act (CEJA).
Each of the 78 projects pays workers a common wage and employs at least 10% of the project workforce from systemically disadvantaged communities. 49 of the projects are in the Chicago metropolitan area, many on rooftops within the Chicago city limits.
“One of the main goals of CEJA was to build an equitable clean energy workforce,” says John Delurey, deputy program director for the Midwest at Vote Solar. “We are not only creating jobs with these projects. I am paving the way for my career.”
Of the 33 projects in the state’s more rural areas, nearly all are working to plant pollinator-friendly habitats and enable grazing and other farming activities between solar panels.
Since the passage of CEJA in September 2021, in addition to over 400 megawatts of community solar, approximately 17,000 small scale rooftop solar projects and over 300 large scale rooftop projects have been submitted to the IPA’s incentive program. I was.
“It is very exciting to see CEJA’s influence continue to grow,” continues Delurey. “Signing bills into law is never the goal. CEJA is a case study that shows how purposeful, equity-driven, community-driven policies can be truly giving gifts.” is.”
News items from Voting Solar