Energy News Network (https://energynews.us/tag/future-energy-jobs-act/)
A trio of bills awaiting the governor’s signature in Illinois is the latest development in preparing the state for an expected massive influx of solar energy development sparked by the state’s 2016 Future Energy Jobs Act.
A major developer of large-scale solar in the Northeast is launching operations in Illinois, expecting the state’s new energy law to jumpstart the industry in a way similar to what happened in the company’s home state of Massachusetts.
A study funded by environmental groups concludes Dynegy-Vistra’s coal-fired power plants in downstate Illinois will likely close by 2025 without causing reliability issues.
The president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association says Illinois could save ratepayers money by supporting efforts to expand solar. All across the country, state legislatures are establishing policies that prioritize the construction of renewable energy projects to replace the aging fossil generation system that has been in operation for decades. The impetus behind that shift is cost and the public’s desire for clean energy. Legislators are hearing the public and, because of recent changes to law, Illinois is projected to be one of our country’s fastest-growing solar markets over the next five years. Solar prices have fallen dramatically — they are now 55 percent lower than they were just five years ago — thanks to innovative technologies and manufacturing methods.
The national solar developer SunRun announced Wednesday it is opening an office in Illinois, citing incentives for distributed solar generation in the state energy law passed in late 2016 and currently being implemented.