The French Road Solar project in Burlington, Illinois is one of about two dozen in the state completed by Nexamp, a Massachusetts-based company that recently established an office in Chicago.
Local officials and residents joined ComEd and Nexamp representatives for a ribbon cutting ceremony at the recently completed project.
The 2.8 MW installation will move the state closer to meeting its ambitious clean energy goals. Illinois passed the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (SB 2408), last September, which sets the state on a trajectory toward 100% clean energy by 2050. The law also provides immediate steps that help accelerate the renewable energy transition that’s already underway in Illinois. The Act propelled solar forward in the state, after many projects were waitlisted. Since then over 250 MW of new community solar projects have been approved.
“Illinois is a national leader in setting ambitious renewable energy targets that will contribute to meaningful progress on decarbonization. Community solar is playing an important role as we rethink how we generate and distribute energy today,” said Matt Walsh, Director of Business Development, Midwest, Nexamp.
The French Road Solar project is located about 55 miles west of Chicago in ComEd territory. The installation has over 7,000 solar panels generating 2.8 MW of clean energy. Capable of offsetting the energy needs of approximately 400 average homes, it will also offset nearly 6 million pounds of CO2 annually.
Nexamp was founded in 2007 and has focused on community solar since before most people knew what it was. In an interview in 2019, CEO Zaid Ashai told pv magazine that “community solar is really interesting to watch because it allows that segment of ratepayers and customers to participate in solar. It also allows us to build larger power plants – they are still fairly closely located to load centers – and creative solutions.”
Nexamp has another dozen or more under community solar projects currently under development in Illinois. Nationwide, the company has operational community solar projects in seven states and is actively developing in many more states that have enabling legislation. In addition to community solar, Nexamp has existing commercial and industrial projects in other states including Calif., Georgia and Rhode Island.
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Good to see these “Community Solar Projects” that serve their residents… but what happens to the rest… Industry… Transportation…. Commercial…. Sectors… ???
Are these Community Solar Facilities destroying the nice fertile agricultural land below.. or are they adopting AgriVoltaics (AV)… to generate “Community Electricity and Food” on the same land .. thereby creating real Self Sufficient and Supporting Community… 🤔🤔🤔🤔