The first Ameren community solar project in Illinois has come online. Overseen by Summit Ridge Energy (SRE), the Fulton County project was completed and energized to produce 2.7-megawatts across 7,000 panels. This is the first community solar project in Illinois to come online in territory serviced by Ameren, a renewable energy provider.

The full scope of the project spans 15 acres across Fulton County, making it the largest community solar project in the state. SRE initially purchased Fulton’s project from Sunrise Energy Ventures of Minnesota. SRE then developed the project further and brought on Borrego Solar to work as the general contractor of the construction.

The Ameren community solar project is expected to service 400 households in Fulton County. Each home was subscribed by Arcadia and will be able to enjoy the benefits of being part of a community solar program. Along with taking part in reducing Illinois’ emissions, homeowners will receive a credit on their utility bill for being part of the project.

According to Senator Dave Koehler, the finished project will play an essential role in reducing air pollution and decarbonizing emissions. It will also be responsible for creating new jobs as people will need to maintain the installation and provide customer service to Arcadia’s subscribers. As with most community solar projects, there is also the opportunity for Illinois to have an additional revenue stream.

SRE still has other solar projects underway, but when they are completed, they’re expected to generate upwards of 150 gigawatts/hour every year. That’s the equivalent of $750,000 per year in savings for customers that subscribe to the community solar program.

Summit Ridge is a leading resource for community solar projects in the United States. Along with its work on physical solar installations, SRE also helped implement virtual power purchase agreements to simplify the process.