Solar power soars in Illinois

Illinois is in the midst of a dramatic shift toward using clean and renewable energy sources to power our lives. America’s overdependence on fossil fuels has caused environmental harm from their extraction, transportation, combustion, and waste disposal, which pollute air, land, and water, and contribute to health issues and climate change. It’s time for our country to move to sources of energy that are clean, renewable and leave less environmental damage in their wake.

Solar energy is on the rise in Illinois

In 2022, Illinois generated 44 times as much solar power as it did in 2013, enough to power 265,526 typical homes. Many of our neighbors, churches, community buildings, parking lots and cultural institutions, like the Chicago Botanic Garden, are getting more of their power from the sun. That is good news for our clean energy future.

Across Illinois you will find community solar arrays and solar on residential rooftops. These projects are a visual reminder of the role clean energy is playing in powering our lives. With the growth of clean energy comes the promise of a greener and healthier future, where nature can thrive, and we and our children have a greater opportunity to live healthier, more enriching lives.

Rooftop solar is on the rise

Putting solar on roofs just makes sense. Why pay for polluting power from a power plant hundreds of miles away when we can just soak up the sun on our rooftops?

Rooftop solar reduces dependence on fossil fuels, eases strain on the grid during periods of high electricity demand, increases resilience to threats like extreme weather, and limits the amount of land needed for clean energy, all at a steadily falling cost.

Over the past five years in Illinois rooftop solar has taken off. Residential solar grew 2252% from 2017 through 2022. Over the same time period small-scale commercial solar grew 1871%. In total, small-scale solar in Illinois generated 1,247 GWh of electricity in 2022.

We’re just scratching the surface of Illinois’s clean energy potential
Despite the rapid growth in clean energy adoption, we’ve barely scratched the surface of our immense potential to generate clean energy from rooftops in Illinois. America could produce the equivalent of 45% of the electricity we currently use from rooftop solar. Yet, in 2022, Illinois had tapped only about 1.95 percent of its rooftop solar generation potential.

In particular commercial rooftops in Illinois are an untapped resource. According to a recent report the potential annual solar generation from big box stores in the state could power 313 thousand U.S. households, But much of that potential is yet unutilized.

Action to help Illinois reach its solar potential

Illinois has a goal of 100% clean electricity by 2045 and the power of the sun can play a big role in getting us there. Illinois is already reaping some of the benefits of rooftop solar, now is the time to lean in.

What you can do

Whether you live in a two-flat, a bungalow or a farmhouse, consider whether your home can go solar. The incentives available under the federal Inflation Reduction Act make it even more affordable to install rooftop solar on your own home. Homeowners can claim a federal income tax credit for 30% of the cost of a rooftop solar investment. And if you are a renter, look into community solar options in your area.

What big box stores can do

The flat, open, sunny roofs of giant grocery stores, retail stores and shopping malls are perfect locations for solar panels. Walmart is the largest retailer in the United States with 161 locations in Illinois and lots of potential for rooftop solar. If Walmart commits to going solar that can bring the benefits of cleaner air, less pollution and greater resilience to our communities.

Together the clean energy future looks bright.