Rockford celebrates one year of Rock Cut Solar, now rededicated as Mark Raeder Legacy I in honor of the late Summit Ridge co-founder who championed the project.
A Milestone Rooted in Community
On September 16, Summit Ridge Energy, Trajectory Energy Partners and ComEd gathered on Rockford’s far west side to mark one year since Rock Cut Solar began delivering power to the grid, and to give the site a new name. During the ceremony, the project was rededicated as Mark Raeder Legacy I, in honor of Summit Ridge’s late co-founder, who championed the project and helped lead the development of more than 100 solar projects across Illinois before his passing in 2025.
Illinois State Senator Steve Stadelman, Rockford Mayor Janessa Neal and Alderman Tamir Bell joined project partners, local union leaders, community organizations and JIREH Workforce Solutions students for the celebration, which marked the first anniversary of the site’s energization as Winnebago County’s first Community Driven Community Solar (CDCS) project.
| 35 acres | 20K solar panels | 6.2MW generation | ~690 subscribers | $163K year-one savings |
Real Savings, One Year In
The 35-acre site is one of the largest community solar projects on the ComEd system, anchored by OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center as its commercial subscriber (related: Summit Ridge Energy Partners with OSF HealthCare to Deliver $9 Million in Energy Savings). More than a third of residential customers are lower-income and receive a 50% discount on their monthly electricity bill; the remaining subscribers save up to 20%. In its first year of operation, the project delivered an estimated $163,000 in combined savings, about $98,000 to residential subscribers and more than $65,000 to OSF.
It’s gratifying to see legislation we passed in the Illinois General Assembly translate into a real-world project like this one, delivering real savings for local families and organizations, along with the good-paying jobs and community investment that are exactly the kind of local economic growth our state needs.
Steve Stadelman, Illinois State Senator
Built With, Not Just For, Rockford
As a CDCS project, Mark Raeder Legacy I goes beyond a typical solar farm. From its earliest planning stages, the Rock Cut Solar Partnership, a team of local organizations including Rockford Area Habitat for Humanity and GetConnected 815, worked alongside Trajectory Energy Partners and Summit Ridge to advocate for the project at city zoning meetings, weigh in on the perimeter screening protecting neighboring homes, and select the pollinator-friendly plantings on site.
Construction also created real work for the region: the project engaged Carpenters Local 792, IUOE Local 150 and IBEW Local 364, with total labor hours exceeding 33,000 between the August 2024 groundbreaking and the site’s energization in August 2025.
Seeing this site complete a full year of operation and deliver needed power to the ComEd grid, while providing savings to local subscribers, demonstrates the benefit of community driven solar. Trajectory is proud to have worked alongside Rockford residents, community leaders, local union labor and Summit Ridge Energy, and to honor Mark Raeder today by dedicating this site in his name.
Jon Carson, Founder and Managing Partner, Trajectory Energy Partners
These companies put customers and communities first and share our commitment to creating affordable energy solutions. They are also making Illinois one of the leading community solar markets in the nation, and ComEd is grateful for their partnership.
Gil Quiniones, President and CEO, ComEd
In Memory of Mark Raeder
Today’s ceremony carried an added meaning. Mark Raeder (1979–2025), Summit Ridge’s late co-founder, stood in this same field at the project’s groundbreaking in August 2024 and spoke about what the site could mean for Rockford. His vision and leadership expanded access to community solar and helped shape the policies that made projects like this one possible, across Illinois and beyond.
A permanent memorial marker honoring Mark will be installed on-site. His brother, Steve Raeder, is Summit Ridge’s founder and CEO.
My brother believed that well done is better than well said, and that’s exactly what this project has been: a promise kept. Mark stood in this field at our groundbreaking and talked about what this site could mean for Rockford. One year into operation, we’re seeing real savings show up on the bills of the families and organizations connected to this project, and renaming this site Mark Raeder Legacy I is our way of making sure his commitment to this community endures for the life of the project.
Steve Raeder, Founder and CEO, Summit Ridge Energy
Speakers at the Ceremony
Thank you to everyone who took the podium to celebrate this milestone:
- • Steve Raeder — Founder & CEO, Summit Ridge Energy
- • Mayor Janessa Neal — City of Rockford
- • Sen. Steve Stadelman — Illinois State Senate
- • Ald. Tamir Bell — 13th Ward, City of Rockford
- • Jon Carson — Founder and Managing Partner, Trajectory Energy Partners
- • Diego Lopez — VP of Outpatient and Ancillary Services, OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center
- • Jie Chu — VP of Projects, ComEd
Part of a Bigger Picture
Mark Raeder Legacy I’s community-first model reflects a broader wave of investment in Illinois community solar, made possible by the 2016 Future Energy Jobs Act and the 2021 Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). ComEd now has more than 300 community solar projects interconnected to its system, expects to surpass 400 by the end of 2026, and has connected a total of 1.8 GW of distributed energy to its grid. Summit Ridge and Trajectory have now collaborated on 15 solar projects together across Illinois.
View the event photos (Flickr album)
Related Links
- • Rockford’s First “Community Driven Community Solar” Project Marks One Year of Bill Savings, Local Jobs and Community Investment – September 2026
- • Summit Ridge Energy and Trajectory Energy Partners Break Ground on Rock Cut Solar — August 2024
In the News
Local and regional media turned out to cover the ceremony and the project’s one-year milestone:
- • Rock Cut Solar celebrates year 1 of Rockford’s first community solar project
Kevin Haas, Rock River Current · September 16, 2026 · includes photos from the event - • The Equity Engine: How Rockford’s Solar Blueprint is Rewiring Grid Economics
Brian Richardson, BriefGlance · September 16, 2026 - • Rock Cut Solar celebrates one year of service and massive utility cost reductions
Chiffon Claiborne, My Stateline · September 16, 2026 · live interview with Steve Raeder - • Rockford solar project hits 1-year milestone, almost $200K in energy savings
Emily McMinn, WIFR · September 16, 2026 · live interviews - • Video: Rockford Solar Project Celebrates 1 Year
WREX · 23 News Update at Ten · September 16, 2026 · live interviews - • Video: Celebrating Solar Energy Savings Day
WTVO · Eyewitness News Local at 6 · September 16, 2026 · live interview with Steve Raeder - • Rockford solar project saves residents thousands
Nida Tazeen, Rockford Register Star (Illinois) · September 16, 2026