Energy justice group awarded 9 MW of Illinois community solar projects

The Illinois Power Agency recently revealed the results of their selection process for the Community-Driven Community Solar Plan for the period of 2023-2024. The Illinois agency chose the Green Energy Justice Cooperative, an organization owned by customers that promotes clean energies and was created by Blacks in Green and allies, to build three installations with a 3 megawatt capacity each (totaling 9 megawatts). The projects will benefit locals in the state. BIG is a nation-wide organization designed to decrease the financial and health gap between different racial groups in America. It is enacting three projects that will give members of the Black, Brown, and low-to-moderate income communities in Aurora, Naperville, and Romeoville a chance to invest in clean energy production and lighten their energy costs. BIG intends to carry out comparable projects in Cook and Kankakee counties. This renewable energy credit award is estimated to be worth $12.5M, and BIG has come out on top in the Illinois Shines process, taking first, second, and fourth places. This result is the realization of over 10 years of working for the Energy and Clean Energy Jobs acts and attempting to create a community-based solution to the Chicago Climate Action Plan. Naomi Davis, founder and CEO at BIG commented it was “a culmination” of all this hard work. BIG’s Sustainable Square Mile/Energy Justice Portfolio is provided as an open source invention through an EPA Thriving Communities grant, which includes a range of possible solutions like a local microgrid, ecological decarbonization, energy audit training, local electric car charging station system and the organization’s legislation package, the People’s Utility Rate Relief Act. Liz Davis, project contributor, noted that all of these are required to get the Campaign To End Energy Poverty to its national stage in line with a 6% cap limit on domestic expenditure for lighting and heating. When the community solar assignment goes into effect, it is anticipated to afford deprived families the opportunity to spend less on power costs. Subscribers of these solar initiatives will have their own stake in the co-op, and this includes the right to a portion of the profits. It also entails the involvement in the administration of the energy cooperative, as well as beneficial workforce preparation and development. Furthermore, these efforts could help bring about a fair transition to clean energy that offers positive consequences for people and safeguards the ecosystem.”

Subscribers of this communal solar scheme can look forward to many advantages such as having their own ownership and dividend of the solar co-op, having the right to partake in the management of the renewable energy cooperative, engaging in equal workforce training and development occurrences, and helping to achieve an equitable shift to clean energy that improves the lives of people and maintains the environment. We are pleased that our three solar projects attained high marks from the Illinois Power Agency. Participants of these solar ventures will have their own stake in the co-op, as well as a share of the revenues. Not only this, but they will also be able to be involved in administering the energy cooperative, as well as acquire the advantages of job training and development. Moreover, thes are all in aid of bringing about a just switch to clean energy that render constructive outcomes for humans and protects This will guarantee the tasks are finished, demonstrating the strength of solar liberty for possession and wealth formation within broken African American areas.