G&W Electric earns record $2.6M rebate for Illinois’ largest commercial solar, storage installation
ComEd of Illinois recently announced that $130 million has been successfully dispatched through its distributed generation rebate program to date, following its creation in 2017 by the Future Energy Jobs Act and its expansion by the 2021 Illinois Climate and Equitable Jobs Act.
The record-breaking moment came with the equally record-high DG rebate of $2.6 million handed out this week to G&W Electric of Bolingbrook, Illinois. The company is a 119-year-old manufacturer of medium and high-voltage power equipment, and for its work, it received a rebate of $600,000 for investments in rooftop solar and another $2 million rebate for a battery energy storage system.
These rebates are available to industrial entities like G&W, as well as commercial and residential customers.
“G&W Electric is demonstrating its well-earned reputation for industry leadership, innovation, and commitment to customers through the creation of its microgrid,” Gil Quiniones, CEO of ComEd, said. “Driving innovation through the deployment of renewable energy solutions is a high priority for the state of Illinois and ComEd, and it’s on full display at G&W Electric.”
G&W’s installation will support its microgrid, a small power grid meant to meet demand within a defined electrical boundary. It should be able to provide backup power in case of grid interruptions. It will also participate in ComEd’s Distributed Energy Resources Management System (DERMS) by expanding the uses of its solar and battery capabilities while connected to ComEd’s system.
The microgrid will be part of ongoing methods to back decentralization and decarbonization. The DG rebate will help offset investment in the microgrid’s design, deployment, and ongoing maintenance.
“Since I became Governor, I’ve been focused on propelling Illinois forward into a clean energy future — ushering in a new era of environmental justice and sustainability for every community,” Gov. JB Pritzker. “That’s why, in 2021, I worked with the General Assembly and signed the landmark Climate and Equitable Jobs Act — solidifying Illinois’ status as the first state in the Midwest to commit to 100% clean energy by 2050. In addition to investing over $80 million annually to develop a renewable energy workforce, this nation-leading legislation has so far created nearly 9,800 megawatts of new solar capacity and increased funding for the Distributed Generation Rebate Program.”
ComEd estimates that its solar power portfolio should grow from 900 MW today to 2,700 MW by 2030. Last year, it completed more than 14,900 solar systems and oversaw a record 20,253 applications from residential, commercial, and industrial customers to connect solar panels and other distributed energy resources to its grid.
