B-N Nonprofits selected for Illinois Solar projects

Photo courtesy to ISU

NORMAL, Ill.- The Ecology Action Center announced today. Sept. 14,2020 that four Bloomington-Normal nonprofit agencies are among the first in McLean County selected for solar projects through the Illinois Solar for All program.

The solar projects were selected on Wednesday, Sept. 9, and are subject to the approval of the Illinois Commerce Commission in the coming weeks. If approved, the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, the Wayman AME Church, the Normal Township
Activity and Recreation Center, and the Christ Church PCA will all receive solar installations that will significantly reduce their overall energy costs for years to come.

Local solar installer StraightUp Solar is working with all four organizations on their solar installations. The Ecology Action Center is a grassroots educator for Illinois Solar for All and works to promote and educate the local community on the program.

Illinois Solar for All (ILSFA) is a key outcome of the 2016 Future Energy Jobs Act and is designed to increase access to solar energy for low-income and environmental justice communities. ILSFA works by increasing incentives for income qualifying projects.

The solar developers and contractors who complete projects in ILSFA receive these increased incentives and are then able to offer installations with no upfront costs for income qualifying residents and low or no upfront costs for qualifying nonprofits and public facilities.

The developers are not allowed to charge participants more than 50% of the value of the energy produced by the solar systems. This enables ILSFA participants to reap the energy-saving benefits of solar without having to overcome the obstacle of financing a solar installation all at once.

The Ecology Action Center worked directly with several of the nonprofits selected to receive solar through the program to both educate those organizations about the benefits of ILSFA and to reach residents those organizations serve. ILSFA is a multi-year
program, and there are still opportunities for McLean County residents to participate.

“We are really excited to see local organizations benefit from the ILSFA program, and are hopeful even more residents and organizations in our community will get to do the same,” said EAC Assitant Director Larissa Armstrong.

On-site solar installations are available for single-family homes that meet the income eligibility requirement, and for multi-family properties where half the residents meet these income requirements. Community solar is available for any household in Ameren territory that meets the income eligibility requirement.