Christopher Kidd

Renewable Energy Faces Uncertain Future Federal cuts to clean energy tax credits could raise costs, threaten jobs, and stall climate progress in Illinois. 📈 Impact ahead: Industrial energy bills in Central IL could rise ~21% next year Homeowners may pay +$121/year; businesses up to +$400/year 20,000–52,000 jobs at risk Illinois’ 100% clean energy by 2050 goal in jeopardy “We can’t put our belief in the federal government… but we can hold our state lawmakers accountable.” — Cate Caldwell, IEC PureSky Energy’s Michael Larkin warns new rules mean projects must be online by 2027 to get the current 30% federal tax credit: “We’ve really slowed down… with the uncertainty of 2027 and beyond.” #CleanEnergy #RenewableEnergy #EnergyPolicy #PureSkyEnergy #Illinois

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It's only Wednesday and it's already been a news-filled week, but a really important bill pertaining to energy passed in Illinois last week. Here are some key provisions to the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA): 1. Adds 3 gigawatts of battery storage to the Illinois grid - which will provide energy that can tapped into in times of high demand. 2. Mandates that utilities create Virtual Power Plant programs where people with batteries and solar panels can be paid for providing "to grid" services. 3. Grants Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) more authority for resource planning. 4. Funds incentive and loan programs for geothermal heating and thermal energy networks. 5. Increases labor protections for community solar projects. 6. Removes long-standing moratorium on new nuclear projects in the state. 7. Places new requirements on backup generators for data centers. The funding for some of these initiatives will be recouped through a rate hike to electricity customers in 2030. Proponents of the bill stated that these cost increases will be offset through reduced energy prices and increased reliability of the grid. We'll see what shakes out and keep you in the loop!

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Origis Energy Secures Tax Equity Commitment and Initial Funding with J.P. Morgan for Wheatland Solar. The funding supports bringing the 210 MW utility-scale solar project in Indiana online. | News Release 12.02.2025 “The team at Origis Energy is excited to achieve this milestone for Wheatland and looking forward to the project commencing operations in Q1 2026.” said Alice Heathcote, Chief Financial Officer, Origis Energy. “This marks Origis’ fifth tax equity commitment with J.P. Morgan and we thank them for their ongoing partnership as we continue to deliver affordable, high-quality energy solutions for our customers.” Read the release: https://bit.ly/3Mb5kS3

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The adoption of utility-scale and residential battery storage is key to expand the use of virtual power plants to mitigate the cost of upgrading the grid to meet fast-growing electrification and large load demand. Since Illinois already obtains over 65% of its electricity from carbon-free sources, this bill should facilitate significant investment in both renewable energy and storage. Batteries are set to be a key backbone of an electrified society.

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