The Illinois Commerce Fee (ICC) on July 14 permitted the Illinois Energy Company’s 2022 Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan (LTRRPP). The 2022 Plan was developed pursuant to the Local weather and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), the landmark local weather justice and vitality invoice handed final fall. This choice comes after the Environmental Legislation & Coverage Heart, the Pure Assets Protection Council and Vote Photo voltaic intervened within the docket and submitted feedback calling for enhancements to low-income photo voltaic applications, structural changes to renewable vitality procurement and follow-through on CEJA’s fairness provisions.
The ICC is charged with guaranteeing Ameren Illinois Firm (Ameren), Commonwealth Edison Firm (ComEd), and MidAmerican Vitality Firm (MidAmerican) procure renewable vitality credit (RECs) for RPS compliance obligations. That RPS has not too long ago expanded to 40% renewable vitality by 2030 because of CEJA — a far cry from the present renewable vitality proportion of round 8%. The LTRRPP gives a pathway to compliance.
“Our transfer towards renewable vitality needs to be quick, protected, dependable — and obtainable to everybody, not simply those that can afford it,” mentioned Erica McConnel, employees lawyer on the Environmental Legislation & Coverage Heart. “This plan is wonky, technical, and really, very within the weeds, however it’s important to show CEJA’s guarantees into Illinois’ future.”
The plan outlines how the state will broaden the low-income photo voltaic program, Illinois Photo voltaic for All, with a devoted $70 million now obtainable annually. This program is designed to supply photo voltaic to low-income clients and demanding want services, comparable to nonprofits and public services, at no upfront price and with necessary vitality financial savings. The plan additionally creates two new pilot applications for the Illinois Photo voltaic for All program, enhancing the state’s capacity to ship photo voltaic financial savings to low-income households. One pilot program will assist pay for electrical and roof repairs wanted for some low-income households to put in rooftop photo voltaic. The opposite program will create a greater person expertise for low-income clients and undertaking builders by streamlining onboarding and decreasing buyer acquisition prices.
“After a number of years of the Illinois Photo voltaic for All residential program failing to succeed in their targets, the brand new Plan gives the incentives and construction wanted for over a thousand low-income households to see vital photo voltaic financial savings annually,” mentioned John Delurey, Midwest director at Vote Photo voltaic. “The $70 million a yr for focused low-income photo voltaic installations will decrease vitality prices and broaden vitality resilience to households, nonprofits, and low-income communities throughout the state.”
The plan additionally gives construction and steering for the 667 megawatts of distributed photo voltaic vitality that CEJA will allow by the Adjustable Block Program. Along with expansions of the three current subprograms — one for small rooftop initiatives, one for giant rooftop initiatives, and one for neighborhood photo voltaic — the plan informs the creation of three new subprograms required by CEJA. The brand new Neighborhood-Pushed Neighborhood Photo voltaic program will guarantee neighborhood engagement and possession in neighborhood photo voltaic applications, the Public Colleges program creates new alternatives for colleges to pursue photo voltaic financial savings, and the Fairness Eligible Contractor program creates designated funding and extra help for deprived companies to develop photo voltaic initiatives.
Additional, the LTRRPP establishes formal processes for CEJA’s labor and requirements — together with prevailing wage necessities and minimal range and fairness benchmarks for all renewable vitality initiatives. IPA will conduct extra stakeholder engagement to fine-tune the necessities.
“This plan is the roadmap to reaching our renewable vitality targets,” mentioned Toba Pearlman, senior lawyer and renewables vitality advocate at NRDC. “We’re prepared and excited to begin seeing CEJA construct extra clear vitality.”
The LTRRPP serves as a guidebook for CEJA’s implementation and utility. Now, program implementers will take the plan and create an in depth proposal on how renewable vitality undertaking builders and clients can take part within the incentive applications. The IPA additionally has 60 days to submit a compliance file primarily based on the Plan. The Illinois Adjustable Block Program and Photo voltaic for All Program incentives will reopen once more in Fall, possible by September.
Information merchandise from Vote Photo voltaic
