Nine communities in the CS2 purchasing pool have jumped in to the first community solar project in Illinois. The Metropolitan Mayors Caucus created the Community Solar Clearinghouse Solutions (CS2), a purchasing pool to help municipalities subscribe their public facilities to new community solar projects to be built in Illinois. While waiting on the next 111 community solar projects to be completed, Rainy Solar cut the ribbon on its 1.2 MW community solar project in Elgin, allowing Deerfield, Glencoe, Glenview, Highland Park, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Oak Park, Park Forest, and Elgin to be the first in this pool to subscribe their municipal facilities to community solar. This both saves municipalities money and addresses the consensus Greenest Region Compact goal to advance renewable energy.
Elgin Mayor David Kaptain cited the City’s work to establish clear and expeditious solar permitting processes as fundamental to the success of the Rainy Solar project. The City of Elgin earned SolSmart Gold as a member of the Mayors Caucus’ cohort helping to make Illinois the leading state for SolSmart designations.
The first successful community solar project is big news in Illinois:
First solar project of its kind in the state lights up in Elgin
North Shore Towns To Save Money With New Community Solar Project
