Solar power in Illinois

Solar power in Illinois has been increasing, as the cost of photovoltaics has decreased. As of the end of 2020, Illinois had 465 megawatts (MW) of installed photovoltaic and concentrated solar power capacity combined employing over 5,200 jobs. Illinois introduced a community solar offering under the Illinois Shines program in 2019. As of 2024, Illinois was ranked fourth for its community solar operating capacity. Illinois adopted a net metering rule which allows customers generating up to 40 kW to use net metering, with the kilowatt hour surplus rolled over each month, and lost at the end of either April or October, as selected by the customer. In 2011, the limit was raised to 2 MW, but is not net metering, as the term is commonly known, as it uses two meters for systems larger than 40 kW.Illinois - Net Metering

As of 2022, Illinois ranks 17th nationally in cumulative installed solar capacity. There is enough solar energy installed in the state to power 217,000 homes.Illinois Solar, Solar Energy Industries Association. Accessed June 20, 2022

History

The first experimental solar power plant was in 1902, in Olney, Illinois, by H.E. Willsie and John Boyle, and was based on a design by Charles Tellier.Solar Power in Olney, Illinois In 1904 they set up the Willsie Sun company in St. Louis, and built a 6-horsepower motor.Environmental History Timeline

In 2002, Illinois's largest solar array was the 99.4 kW array on the roof of the Field Museum of Natural History, in Chicago.A greener field - Energy

In 2010 the country's largest urban solar array, 10 MW, was installed in West Pullman, on Chicago's south side.Solar power may get chance to shine in Illinois In 2012, IKEA installed solar PV on its two stores in Bolingbrook and Schaumburg totaling almost 2 MW., IKEA, July 25, 2012 Also in 2012, the 20 MW Grand Ridge Solar Plant in LaSalle County was completed. The University of Illinois built a 5.87 MW solar farm in 2015 which will provide 2% of the university's electricity.Solar farm connected to UIUC grid, Anna Carrera, 11/19 2015Updated: Solar farm construction to start in spring at UI, The News-Gazette, January 20, 2015

In November 2016, ComEd attempted to add additional fees to the bills of only residential solar users, commonly called demand charges, in the text of a wider energy bill. They were eventually pulled out of the bill, which passed in December 2016 without them.

Illinois Solar for All

Solar projects that were approved during year five of Illinois Solar for All generated more than 33 GWh per year.

Statistics Source: NREL

Illinois grid-connected PV capacity (MW)Illinois SolarYearCapacityInstalled% change 2007 2.2 0.2 10% 2008 2.8 0.4 27% 2009 4.5 1.7 61% 2010 15.5 11 244% 2011 16.2 0.7 5% 2012 42.9 26.7 165% 2013 43.4 0.5 1% 2014 54 10.6 24% 2015 65 11 20% 2016 70 5 8% 2017 81 11 16% 2018 106.2 25.2 31% 2019 211.5 105.3 99% 2020 465.4 253.9 120% 2021 1,107.1 641.7 % 2022 2,036 928.9 %

+ Utility-scale solar generation in Illinois (GWh) Year Total Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 2010 14 0 0 1 1 2 2 2 2 2 1 1 0 2011 16 1 1 1 1 2 2 2 2 1 1 1 1 2012 31 1 1 2 2 4 4 4 3 3 3 2 2 2013 53 2 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 6 5 5 2014 50 2 2 4 4 5 6 5 5 5 5 4 3 2015 48 2 3 4 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 3 3 2016 49 2 4 3 4 5 5 5 5 5 4 4 3 2017 54 2 4 4 4 6 7 6 6 6 3 3 3 2018 65 3 3 6 7 7 7 8 7 6 5 3 3 2019 63 3 3 6 6 6 7 8 7 6 5 3 3 2020 93 2 4 4 6 7 9 9 10 8 6 6 8 2021 528 13 16 24 28 34 36 60 61 79 55 69 53 2022 1,601 73 83 110 121 148 167 175 206 182 162 107 67 2023 1,911 70 116 137 194 228 232 220 200 177 137 135 7420242,21092174212229274282288269236242

Solar power in Illinois

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