IPA Announces Results of Summer 2024 Indexed REC Procurement Event

On July 24, the Illinois Commerce Commission approved the results of the IPA’s Summer 2024 Indexed REC procurement event conducted to support the development of utility-scale solar, utility-scale wind, and brownfield site photovoltaic projects.

REC delivery contracts were awarded to support the development of 573 megawatts (MW) of new renewable energy projects: one utility-scale wind project (200 MW, 358,517 RECs delivered annually) and six utility-scale solar projects (373 MW, 858,219 RECs delivered annually). All of the selected projects are in the MISO portion of the state, and two of the solar projects are located in Energy Transition Community Grant Areas.

Under changes recently adopted by the IPA, the procurement process now includes a soft cap which allows procurement targets to be exceeded, allowing for the final project potentially selected to be taken, even if its bid quantity would exceed the target. That process allowed for the target utility-scale solar procurement quantities to be exceeded for this procurement event, thus supporting additional new renewable energy project development.

The average winning bid price of $73.06 is similar to the previous Indexed REC procurement conducted by the IPA. The bid price is a “strike price” and reflects an overall level of revenue the winning bidders can expect to receive. The actual REC price paid under Indexed REC contracts is calculated each month to be the difference between the strike price and the wholesale price of electricity. In this way, Indexed REC prices rise and fall in reverse of energy market trends and provide revenue stability to the project.

The IPA continues to explore ways to improve the Indexed REC procurement process. This includes gathering stakeholder feedback to help the Agency navigate the challenges resulting from recent volatile market conditions which have led some projects to experience significant increases in development and construction costs after a REC delivery contract was awarded. The IPA is conducting a series of five workshops to explore potential post award contract changes to address these concerns, with the first workshop held on July 29. For more information on these workshops, visit the Downstream Negotiation for Indexed REC Contracts page on the IPA website.

Illinois Solar for All Releases Bright Neighborhoods Initiative Report

The Illinois Solar for All (ILSFA) Bright Neighborhoods initiative is designed to increase access to solar energy for income-eligible households in West Garfield Park, Chicago; Waukegan; and the Carbondale-Marion Area, including Jackson, Williamson, and Johnson counties.

The Bright Neighborhoods initiative was launched as a pilot in August 2023 to offer opportunities for income-eligible residents in these communities to access affordable solar installations through ILSFA. The Initiative aims to bolster participation in the Residential Solar (Small) sub-program by reducing barriers including unfamiliarity with solar power, distrust in marketers, language barriers, and a complex administrative process.

The Bright Neighborhoods initiative was successful in bringing awareness to the ILSFA program and brought new insights into the barriers faced by participants, Approved Vendors and other stakeholders in accessing the Residential Solar sub-program across Illinois. The first year of the pilot resulted in findings and lessons learned that will be incorporated into the pilot design in its second program year.

To learn more about the pilot’s results, read the Bright Neighborhoods Initiative Report, which was released by ILSFA Program Administrator Elevate Energy on June 26, along with a Request for Feedback containing proposed updates for the 2024-2025 Program Year. Additionally, Elevate hosted an informational webinar on July 2 to explore the recommendations and findings of the report. A revised Bright Neighborhoods design document incorporating stakeholder comments and a Request for Proposals seeking Approved Vendors to serve the Bright Neighborhoods communities will be released in August 2024.

IPA Summer School: Lunch & Learn for Legislators

This July, the IPA launched a new introductory webinar series entitled “IPA Summer School: Lunch & Learn for Legislators and Staff” to introduce legislators, government leaders, and legislative staff to the IPA, its solar incentive programs, and the IPA’s progress toward achieving clean energy and equity goals.

On July 18, the IPA kicked off the series with Session 1: "Understanding the IPA's Solar Incentive Programs," covering the two solar incentive programs administered by the IPA. The recording and presentation of this webinar can be found on the IPA website. Attendees also received program materials to share with their constituents.

Session 2: "Understanding how Consumer Protections for the IPA's Solar Incentive Programs Work" will take place on Thursday, August 15, from 12:15-1 p.m. This session will discuss the consumer protection requirements for the two solar incentive programs and highlight recent proactive consumer protection efforts designed to help consumers make well-informed decisions when going solar.

The inaugural IPA Summer School series will wrap up in September with two sessions:

Session 3: "Advancing IPA's Equity Initiatives in the Clean Energy Transition" on Thursday, September 5, from 12:15-1 p.m.
Session 4: "IPA's Clean Energy Dashboard & Progress Toward State Clean Energy Goals" on Thursday, September 19, from 12:15-1 p.m.

Registration is required to attend these sessions. Please register in advance on the IPA website. Sessions will be recorded for future viewing by registrants. Registrants will also receive program materials to share with their constituents.

For questions or additional information, please email IPA Legislative Affairs Manager Whitney Richardson at Whitney.Richardson@illinois.gov.

DID YOU KNOW?

On July 26, the IPA hosted an educational webinar entitled Long-Term Regional Transmission Planning, State Initiatives, and the Power Grid.

This educational webinar provided an overview on the role of Regional Transmission Organizations in long-term regional transmission planning and current challenges that states are facing on transmission planning and development. The webinar also discussed Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) Order No. 1920, its anticipated impact, and upcoming FERC transmission actions.

The webinar also examined Illinois’ initiatives implementation, state legislative proposals crafted to support new high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission lines, and key state players around transmission planning and processes. The webinar featured presentations from Qingliu (Mary) Yang, Attorney-Advisor at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission; Jason Stanek, Executive Director of Government Services at PJM; and IPA Director Brian Granahan.

The recording and presentation slides for the webinar can be found on the IPA Events page.

In The Community

IPA Staff Delivers Presentation at Wood Mackenzie Solar & Energy Storage Summit

Across June 12-13, IPA Senior Program Manager Jennifer Schmidt spoke on a panel at the Wood Mackenzie Solar & Energy Storage Summit in San Francisco. The panel, entitled “Infrastructure-as-a-Service Business Models for Community Solar” explored community solar as a means for ensuring that the benefits of the renewable energy transition are reaching limited- and moderate-income households.

This discussion also shed some light on how federal policies and funding play a critical role in the growth of renewable energy. The panel discussion particularly highlighted how the U.S. EPA Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund may support and catalyze expansion of solar access. The Solar & Energy Storage Summit also looked at new technological innovations, energy storage expansions, and safety concerns for upcoming projects.

To learn more about the summit, please see Wood Mackenzie’s top takeaways from the Solar & Energy Storage Summit 2024.

IPA Hosts Monthly Consumer Protection Working Group

On July 12, Illinois Shines staff joined ILSFA staff and the IPA Consumer Protection team for the monthly Consumer Protection Working Group. The IPA is committed to consumer protection and works diligently to ensure positive experiences for Illinois residents and businesses seeking to go solar. As part of that commitment, the IPA facilitates a monthly Consumer Protection Working Group to discuss market trends, best practices, consumer education, updates to Program requirements and documents, and other consumer protection issues for both Illinois Shines and ILSFA. The meeting serves as an opportunity for consumers, solar companies, community and nonprofit organizations, and other members of the public to directly provide their insight and perspectives to the Program Administrators for both Programs and the IPA.

Meetings are open to the public, and to encourage open discussion, the sessions are not recorded. Minutes from the July 12 meeting can be found on the Consumer Protection Working Group page on the Illinois Shines website. To learn more about the Agency’s consumer protection efforts, please visit the Consumer Protection & Support page on the Illinois Shines website.

IPA Director Presents at Calpine Energy Solutions Symposium

On July 25, IPA Director Brian Granahan presented at the Calpine Energy Solutions Midwest Energy Symposium in Chicago. Brian’s presentation featured an overview of the Illinois Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS), progress on the clean energy transition, opportunities for participation by large energy customers, and a preview of what changes could be expected in the coming years.

The Agency thanks the organizers of the Midwest Energy Symposium for facilitating this important discussion on the growing renewable energy economy.

IPA Staff Delivers Remarks at 2024 Solar Conference and Expo

On July 18, IPA Chief Legal Counsel Kelly Turner presented at the 2024 Solar Conference and Expo in Rockford, Illinois. Kelly’s presentation discussed benefits to participation in the IPA’s solar incentive programs and outlined key IPA initiatives that prioritize equity and Prevailing Wage Act requirements. Additionally, Kelly joined a panel discussion entitled “The Process of Getting Solar Including Consumer Protections” that explored several solar installation options, typical contract processes, and consumer protection requirements—thus helping potential customers determine what program is right for them.

The Solar Conference and Expo is a project of Sustain Rockford, a local nonprofit, grassroots organization working collaboratively to help make the Rockford region more sustainable and served as a great opportunity for local residents to learn about solar energy.

For more information, please visit the Sustain Rockford website.

IPA Staff Spotlight

Kate Clifford

On July 1, Kate Clifford joined the IPA as the new Senior Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Manager.

Kate will be responsible for leading the implementation of internal equity initiatives, expanding stakeholder communications, and developing a DEI Advisory Council. With over five years of experience in managing DEI programs at organizations like Pace Transit, Hub, and the Poudre School District, Kate brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this position. The Agency is pleased to welcome Kate to the team.