March 03--In hopes of bringing solar energy to the masses, the Citizens Utility Board and Environmental Defense Fund on Tuesday announced a proposal to allow Illinois neighborhoods to invest in solar projects together and share in the compensation credits that result from the energy savings.
The groups, which filed the proposal with the Illinois Commerce Commission last week, are proposing a three-year pilot program for ComEd customers that is essentially like neighborhood crowdfunding for solar energy.
Currently, Illinois homeowners with rooftop solar panels receive compensation credits on their electric bills for surplus renewable energy they produce that is sent back to the power grid. About 300 customers in northern Illinois participate.
A residential solar panel system in ComEd territory can offset an estimated 32 percent of annual consumption.
Under the community solar proposal, a host customer, such as a school, business or home with space and location for solar panels, would recruit neighbors to invest in a solar project, and the neighbors would share in the compensation credits based on their level of financial investment.
"You could conceivably have dozens of neighbors share in kilowatt-hour savings worth hundreds, even thousands of dollars," said Jim Chilsen, communications director at the Citizens Utility Board.
The groups hope the Illinois Commerce Commission will direct ComEd to launch the pilot project for its northern Illinois customers by 2016 and expand it to all ComEd and Ameren consumers by 2020.
aelejalderuiz@tribpub.com
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