ComEd and Summit Ridge finish work on three community solar projects in Illinois

Joint efforts by ComEd and Summit Ridge Energy led to completion of three community solar projects and 8.7 MW of renewable energy for Illinois’ Dekalb County.

Of these projects, two were located in Sandwich, Ill., and a third in Lee, Ill. They incorporated more than 15,000 solar panels spread over 46 acres, capable of providing energy for between 1,000-1,200 average homes. With their completion, the number of community solar projects in ComEd’s northern Illinois region increased to 103.

“ComEd and Summit Ridge are proud to play a leading role in the growth of community solar in Illinois,” Scott Vogt, vice president of strategy and energy policy at ComEd, said. “We are pleased to partner with developers who are committed to increasing customer access to clean energy, and we applaud Summit Ridge for its leadership in the growing community solar sector in Illinois.”

The projects contribute to Summit Ridge’s own expected portfolio expansion to about 335 MW by the end of 2024. They also better align the companies with the Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) of 2021, which demanded renewable energy support in-state to reach 40 percent by 2030 and 50 percent by 2040.

“The ComEd region is quickly becoming one of the nation’s fastest growing markets for community solar, and we are pleased to be contributing to that growth,” Mark Raeder, principal at Summit Ridge Energy, said. “Summit Ridge is on track to complete nearly 40 community solar projects in ComEd’s service territory by the end of this year, helping to bring reliable clean energy and cost savings to their customers.”

Through community solar, ComEd customers are able to subscribe to the benefits of solar energy without paying for and installing their own solar panels. Participants sign onto farms owned by independent developers and earn credits on their monthly bills for their portion of the energy. Community solar participants are able to subscribe for up to 200 percent of their last year’s worth of electricity usage.