Wednesday, July 26
Summit Ridge Energy recently sponsored and attended an exclusive event hosted by the Lincoln Forum — one of Illinois’ most prominent public policy platforms — at the Union League Club of Chicago, which brought the Illinois business community together for a conversation with Governor J.B. Pritzker.
As the commercial solar market leader in Illinois, Summit Ridge Energy has invested more than $900m in the state through the development and acquisition of 116 solar farms located across 35 counties.
During the event, Governor Pritzker expressed his strong support for the significant role that solar energy plays in the Illinois economy.
“Summit Ridge Energy is one of the leading companies growing solar in Illinois,” said Governor Pritzker, underscoring the significant impact the company has made on the state’s solar ranking. “We already rank number five among all states [for solar], and that’s growing. Clean energy is a big deal to companies that I talk to around the world.”
Although the solar industry is already creating significant economic and employment opportunities, Governor Pritzker acknowledged that it is vital to ensure that these opportunities are extended to all Illinoisans through workforce development initiatives.
“We’re focused on making sure that we are reaching into communities that have been left out and left behind, so that they have much greater opportunity in these newly developed industries—including at Summit Ridge Energy to deliver with climate action by developing solar energy for the state of Illinois.”
In line with the need to create solar jobs and training in Illinois, Summit Ridge Energy is co-funding the Sustainability Hub <link to new webpage>. This training center provides job training and employment opportunities for residents eager to start a career in the burgeoning clean energy economy. Participants will graduate from the program with solar technician certification and the knowledge required to design, construct, operate and maintain solar energy projects.
“Over the next 10 years, our goal is to train more than 10,000 veterans, single parents, returning citizens, people from underserved communities – or anyone seeking to make a fresh start,” said Steve Raeder, CEO at Summit Ridge Energy.
Having recently returned from a trade mission to the United Kingdom, Governor Pritzker also noted significant foreign interest in the Illinois solar industry.
“One of the things that you hear—especially from European countries—is that they want to come to the United States and do business,” said Governor Pritzker. “They want to power their operations with clean energy. It’s not just a desire, it’s a demand.”
The event demonstrated Summit Ridge Energy’s market leadership in commercial solar, its continuing investment in Illinois and its dedication to creating jobs for hardworking Illinoisans.
Summit Ridge Energy thanks Governor Pritzker for his continued support of renewable energy and the profound impact it is having on the state of Illinois, its people, its economy and its future.
Event Photos