Rock Cut Solar, a community solar farm in Rockford, Illinois, has reached its first anniversary, with the site already generating an estimated $163,000 in savings for local households and nonprofit health system OSF HealthCare.
Here's what to know
As the Rockford Register Star reported, Summit Ridge Energy, Trajectory Energy Partners, and ComEd marked the occasion on September 16 at the facility at 580 N. Memorial Blvd. with a site tour and ribbon-cutting.
Its Community Driven Community Solar model is designed to share the benefits with the surrounding area.
Residents in the program benefited from roughly $98,000 of the first-year savings total, and OSF HealthCare saved $65,000.
Rock Cut Solar serves 690 households. Of those subscribers, 20% qualify for Illinois Shines, a state program that lowers monthly electric bills by 50%. Other subscribers save up to 20% on electricity through the project.
For homeowners who can install their own panels, going solar is one of the best ways to save money on home energy. You can explore EnergySage to get free solar panel installation estimates and compare quotes.
More background
Community solar can help lower energy bills for people who may not be able to put panels on their own roofs. That includes renters, households with shaded properties, and families looking to save without taking on the full cost of a private installation.
Organizers said that the facility is among the largest community solar projects on the ComEd system. Its footprint stretches across 35 acres, with about 20,000 panels and 6.2 megawatts of generating capacity.
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What's being done?
Besides celebrating the project's first-year results, the program included a rededication of the facility as Mark Raeder Legacy I. The name honors late Summit Ridge Energy co-founder Mark Raeder, who helped champion the effort.
OSF HealthCare, Habitat for Humanity, JIREH Workforce Solutions, and Get Connected 815 were also represented. Listed speakers included Rockford Mayor Janessa Neal, Rockford Ald. Tamir Bell, Illinois State Senator Steve Stadelman, Summit Ridge Energy founder and CEO Steve Raeder, Trajectory Energy Partners founder Jon Carson, and ComEd Vice President Jie Chu.
For those considering rooftop solar, EnergySage offers free services that can make the process easier to navigate. With EnergySage's help, the average person can save on solar purchases and installations.
EnergySage's solar map shows the average cost of a home solar panel system by state, as well as details on local incentives. Together, those resources can help you get the best price for rooftop solar panels.
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Adding battery storage to a solar setup is one of the best ways to protect your home during outages, save money on energy, and go off-grid. You can also explore EnergySage for information about home battery storage options, including competitive installation estimates.
Where can I learn more?
Rock Cut Solar's first-year savings show how going solar can bring down energy costs for households, hospitals, and businesses.
• Across the U.S., businesses are using little-known federal incentives to save more than $100,000 with solar.
• For renters and shaded homes, community solar programs can deliver savings without rooftop panels.
• For homeowners, rooftop panels can cut monthly power bills by more than $100.
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