Illinois school district will be major subscriber to community solar project on school grounds

Brimfield Community Unit School District (CUSD) in Brimfield, Illinois, has chosen the Nexamp community solar program to reduce its annual electric expenses and add more renewable energy to the Ameren utility grid. Under a 20-year contract, the K-12 district will save more than $22,000 each year of the agreement.

The 3-MW community solar tracking project, called Jubilee Solar and sited on school grounds just beyond the high school baseball field, will be a visual reminder of the role the district is playing in environmental sustainability and the health of the larger community. Brimfield CUSD will receive a 23% allocation of the overall project while much of the rest of the project will be reserved for individual residents in the area who can enroll directly in the Nexamp community solar program.

“As we looked at ways to increase our sustainability efforts and have a positive impact in the community, we were drawn to the idea of playing such an active role in bringing more renewable energy to the local grid. We have space on our district campus and by working with Nexamp to get a solar farm constructed on site, we can immediately realize several benefits, such as cost savings, educational opportunities, and leading by example,” said Chad Jones, Brimfield Superintendent of Schools.

The project qualifies under the Illinois Shines Public Schools category, which enables public schools across the state to host community solar projects, realize significant savings, and extend those savings to the broader community.

“The Public Schools category provides an excellent framework for schools across Illinois that are interested in hosting a community solar project,” notes Joe Fiori, Vice President of Business Development at Nexamp. “It enables schools to maximize the educational and financial benefits. Nexamp will still own and operate the facility over the life of the agreement.”

News item from Nexamp