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POWER BRIEF
Legislative Newsletter
October 2023
| A monthly roundup of news and top highlights from the Illinois Power Agency | |
Attention mobile users: For best experience, rotate device to landscape mode. | |
TOP INSIGHTS & HIGHLIGHTS | |
IPA Proposes to Address Program Capacity for Central and Southern Illinois Solar Projects | |  |
IPA Files 2024 Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan with ICC | |
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Since the Illinois Shines Program’s launch in 2019, Group A (projects located in the MISO portion of Illinois) Small and Large Distributed Generation solar project categories have historically exhausted available capacity at a faster rate than the same categories in Group B (projects located in the PJM portion of Illinois). For the current program year, capacity for Large DG (on-site) projects was filled this past July. On September 26, capacity for Small DG (on-site) projects (25kW AC and smaller) in Group A was filled.
Given the growing interests of project development and the ongoing need for continuity in incentive availability in central and southern Illinois, the IPA has sought to remedy Group A oversubscription through a set of proposals in the IPA’s 2024
Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan. That Plan was filed with the Illinois Commerce Commission for approval on October 20 and proposed the following steps:
- Eliminating of the distinction between Group A and Group B for the Small DG and Large DG blocks.
- Increasing the overall Program size, thus resulting in larger Small DG and Large DG blocks.
- Adjusting the prioritizations for uncontracted capacity at close of Program Year by prioritizing distributed generation categories.
- Prioritizing distributed generation projects within the Public Schools and Equity Eligible Contractor categories.
- Instituting a price adjustment cap for changes to REC prices for waitlisted projects.
While there is no remaining Program Year 2023-24 capacity for Small and Large DG projects in central and southern Illinois, projects developed in these areas may still be submitted to the Program. These applications will be placed on a waitlist and will be given priority for new capacity, which will be released on June 1, 2024. In addition, new customers remain eligible for net metering, a mechanism whereby customers may earn bill credits from utilities for the power their system produces and sends to the grid.
| Illinois Shines Launches Pilot Mentorship Program, Adding Support for Existing and Prospective Equity Eligible Contractors |  | |
On October 23, the Illinois Power Agency announced the launch of a Pilot Mentorship Program supporting existing and prospective Equity Eligible Contractors (EECs) in Illinois Shines.
Illinois Shines is a trailblazer among state solar incentive programs, driven by the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act’s (Public Act 102-0662 or “CEJA”) establishment of an Equity Accountability System to expand priority access to businesses and workers from historically marginalized communities that have been excluded from benefits of clean energy economy. Among the features of the Equity Accountability System is dedicated support for Equity Eligible Contractors—firms majority-owned by equity eligible persons—through a dedicated Illinois Shines program category.
The first cohort of the Pilot Mentorship Program launched on October 23 with the commencement of the first of a planned eight-class series, is designed to increase Program accessibility for EECs mitigate barriers to Illinois Shines Program entry and success and empower EECs with the tools needed to successfully participate in Illinois Shines. Equity Eligible Contractors were invited to apply to participate in the inaugural Mentorship Program session, which will run between October and December, through public Program announcements and direct outreach, and twelve EECs enrolled. The IPA along with its Illinois Shines Program Administrator (Energy Solutions), will deliver core Program content, share guidance, and best practices on major Program activities and requirements, and facilitate feedback and discussion, to help EEC participants achieve greater success in Illinois Shines.
Following the inaugural cohort, the IPA and its Program Administrator will support additional cohorts of EECs through this mentorship program in 2024. Additionally, the Program will publicly share information in 2024 about upcoming availability for the mentorship program via Program announcements and outreach, and informational forums. To participate in a future cohort of the Mentorship Program, contact the Illinois Shines program at admin@IllinoisShines.com.
“The Illinois Power Agency is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. The IPA recognizes DEI is central to achieving its mission... To strengthen and advance equity in the clean energy industry, we must be intentional about initiatives to fully support EECs seeking to enter the clean energy economy. We hope the Mentorship Program will help create a network of support and provide tools for EECs to successfully participate in the Illinois Shines program.”
Audrey Steinbach
Senior Program Manager,
Illinois Shines
Learn more at IllinoisShines.com
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On October 20, the IPA filed its 2024 Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan with the Illinois Commerce Commission for approval. The Long-Term Plan, developed and published every two years, details goals and strategies for the IPA’s renewable energy programs and procurements. The draft 2024 Long-Term Plan was released for public comment on August 15, with a September 29 deadline for comment submission. The Agency received a total of 34 comments covering all chapters of the Plan. Commenters included a variety of stakeholders including solar companies, Equity Eligible Contractors, labor organizations, environmental advocacy groups, utilities, and industry associations.
The 2024 Long-Term Plan contains several novel proposals, including the following:
- Seeking express authority to deposit any federal Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund funding received into the Renewable Energy Resources Fund to support Illinois Solar for All Program growth.
- Establishment of a Solar Restitution Fund to provide economic assistance to customers harmed through solar project transactions.
- A workshop process for determining the viability of downstream negotiations of Indexed REC contracts used to support utility-scale wind, utility-scale solar, and brownfield site photovoltaic projects.
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A suite of solutions to address persistent oversubscription of the Group A Large DG and Small DG program categories.
The filed Plan and corresponding documents can be found on the Plans Under Development page of the IPA website. Parties seeking changes to the Plan have 14 days to file objections with the ICC. The Commission has 120 days for its review and approval of the Plan.
| IPA Issues Requests for Stakeholder Feedback on Key Energy Policy Proposals |  | |
On September 29, the IPA issued a Request for Stakeholder Feedback to support its work in developing a Policy Study on three key Illinois energy policy proposals made during the Spring legislative session: a package of policy proposals used to support energy storage project development; state-administered support for a new high voltage direct current transmission line project carrying wind energy from Iowa into Illinois; and state-administered support for an off-shore wind project built in Lake Michigan.
Stakeholder feedback was due on October 20, and comments received are now published on the IPA Policy Study webpage. This feedback will be utilized by the IPA to further analyze the policy areas being studied, and include any data, information, reports, analyses, considerations, or other information which stakeholders believe needed to be brought to the IPA’s attention for conducting a comprehensive and well-rounded analysis.
The IPA thanks stakeholders for providing feedback and equipping the Agency with more comprehensive data and information for Policy Study development.
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DID YOU KNOW?
Did you know that the IPA hosted a Power Hour webinar, The Modern Grid on October 27?
This webinar examined how technology can play a key role in making the grid smarter, optimizing sustainable technologies and solutions to build a more efficient grid. The webinar also explored the transformative potential of technological advancements to help grid operators make automated decisions.
Speakers for the webinar included Anthony Star, Senior Advisor and Planning and Procurement Chief; Michael Jung, Founding Executive Director at the ICF Climate Center; and Sainab Taiwo Ninalowo, Sr. Manager, Smart Grid — Grid Modernization at ComEd.
| To view the recording of the webinar, please click the video thumbnail above. For presentation slides, visit the Events Page of the IPA website. | |
External Events Featuring IPA Speakers | |
IPA Acting Director Delivers Keynote Session at DOE Office of Electricity, Energy Storage Program Annual Meeting | |
On Wednesday, October 25, IPA Acting Director Brian Granahan delivered a keynote session on the state of energy storage in Illinois at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Storage Program Annual Meeting and Peer Review in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
During the keynote session, Brian outlined the overall energy policy picture in Illinois, including the state’s renewable energy and decarbonization targets established through CEJA, and how smart energy storage policy can help support those initiatives. A key aspect of his keynote session addressed the important work that the IPA is currently conducting through its Policy Study examining energy storage legislative proposals introduce this past Spring. The Policy Study will assess the potential impacts of that energy storage proposal across the following criteria: support for Illinois' decarbonization goals; the environment; grid reliability; carbon and other pollutant emissions; resource adequacy; long-term and short-term electric rates; environmental justice communities; jobs; and the economy.
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IPA Staff Attend Illinois Regulatory Policy Studies Conference | |
Across October 10-11, IPA staff attended the Institute for Regulatory Policy Studies (IRPS) Conference in Springfield, Illinois. At the conference, IPA Senior Advisor and Planning and Procurement Bureau Chief presented during two different sessions. His first session, Update on CEJA Implementation, focused on the IPA’s implementation of CEJA’s requirements for programs and procurements. During the session, Anthony highlighted successes and lessons learned in accelerating the clean energy transition.
His second session, Looking to the Future, focused on IPA activities and key initiatives. This session included updates on the 2024 Long-Term Plan, the IPA Policy Study, and the Clean Energy Dashboard project designed to convey the story of renewable energy development through data visualization tools. In addition, Anthony also highlighted policy issues, including energy storage, utility-scale renewable energy development, and the role of nuclear power in meeting clean energy deployment goals in Illinois.
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IPA Illinois Solar for All Senior Program Manager Speaks at NEUAC Webinar | On October 11, IPA Illinois Solar for All (ILSFA) Senior Program Manager Jennifer Schmidt spoke at The National Energy and Utility Affordability Coalition webinar on the topic of equitable access to community solar for Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) recipients. In the webinar, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) representatives discussed efforts underway to increase equitable access to community solar. Additionally, Jennifer and a representative from Embarras River Basin Agency (a community action agency based in Illinois) discussed how Illinois is working to coordinate the ILSFA and LIHEAP programs to maximize benefits for households in partnership with DOE to develop a portal connecting LIHEAP participants with ILSFA's community solar program. | |
IPA Acting Director Speaks on Community Solar Panel in New York City | On October 11, IPA Acting Director Brian Granahan spoke on the Growth Pathways for Accelerating Community Solar panel at the New Project Media DG Development & Finance Forum in New York. Brian discussed Illinois’ trajectory in supporting community solar projects, including changes in how projects are selected within IPA incentive programs and considerations applicable to how state policymakers view supporting the growing community solar marketplace. | |
IPA Program Staff and Program Administrators Present at Urbana Free Library | IPA Illinois Solar for All (ILSFA) Senior Program Manager Jennifer Schmidt and Program Administrators for Illinois Shines and ILSFA attended State Representative Mike Marron’s (104th District) ‘Explore Solar Event’ on October 12 at the Urbana Free Library. The event was designed for residents and community members interested in solar energy. The presentation highlighted a customer’s journey in navigating solar energy and provided a roadmap for how homeowners and renters can utilize solar energy based on their home and energy needs. Additionally, local solar companies participating in the IPA solar programs also attended the event to answer questions about how they benefit consumers. | |
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Outreach Events
- 10/5/2023 – Workforce Opportunity Resource Center Seasonal Hiring Event, Chicago Housing Authority *EIEC
- 10/26/2023 – Westside Hiring Event & Resource Expo, CBO Collective *EIEC
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Outreach Trainings and Meetings
- 10/25/2023 – EEC/EEP Opportunities, ILSFA, IL Shines and Energy Workforce Equity Portal (IL DCEO - Black Business Collective)
- 10/25/2023 – EEP Community Support Advisory Council Community Resource Meeting, Target Area.org *EIEC
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Outreach Events
- 11/9/2023 – Disability Employment Awareness Resource & Job Fair, Trilogy Supported Employment Program
- 11/15/2023 – Pop Up Job Fair, South Suburban College *EIEC
| *Event located in Equity Investment Eligible Community | | | |
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Christopher Ruiz
On October 16, Christopher Ruiz joined the IPA as the Associate Legal Counsel. In this role, Chris will assist the IPA legal team and staff on cutting-edge legal and policy issues in the rapidly evolving field of energy policy and procurement, renewable energy incentive programs, legislative review, litigation, and administrative law.
A Los Angeles native, Christopher attended law school at the University of Minnesota. During his time at the university, Chris served as Director of the Energy & Environmental Law Clinic while concentrating in both Energy & Environmental Law and Labor & Employment Law. He also trained with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission following an internship with the Environmental Integrity Project in Washington, D.C.
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María Gabriela Ayala
On October 10, María Gabriela Ayala joined the IPA as the Data Fellow. She came from the esteemed Applied Data Fellowship (ADF) program at the University of Chicago. In this role, Gabriela will contribute to the Illinois Clean Energy Dashboard, a new data project designed to convey the story of renewable energy development through data visualization tools.
Previously, Gabriela worked for the Republic of Ecuador, serving as Advisor to the Secretary General of the Presidency. One of Gabriela's notable data-driven projects at the Embassy of Mexico to the United States involved the development of a dynamic visual dashboard to highlight Mexico's workforce and human capital competitive advantages to facilitate the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement trade negotiations.
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