The program guidelines and application will become available within the next week or so on the DCEO website at http://www.illinois.gov/dceo/whyillinois/KeyIndustries/Energy/Pages/01-RERP.aspx. 

 

 All applications must be submitted, without exception, on these new forms for Fiscal Year 2015 and must be filled out completely and signed and dated by both the applicant and the installer/project manager. Any applications received under previous application forms will be rejected.

 

DCEO will accept applications for the random selection until October 10th, 2014.  Applications will be assigned a number as they are received, and there will a pre-selected list of random numbers that will be used as the order we will consider applications.  DCEO will keep moving down the list of applications based on the random numbers list until all rebate funds have been allocated.  The remaining applications will be on a waiting list and will be considered (again, based on the random number list) as projects are cancelled or if additional funds become available.

 

DCEO is continuing to require that the application be submitted by the applicant.  While the installer/developer may assist in filling out application and organizing the required documents, the application cannot be sent to us by the installer.
 
All solar PV and wind energy systems must be completed by a certified distributed energy installer (Illinois Commerce Commission’s certified list is available at http://www.icc.illinois.gov/utility/Certified.aspx?type=24).  DCEO will not approve an application until it can be confirmed that the installer has been certified by the ICC.

The Final Documentation Checklist (Section 4.2 and Appendix C of new guidelines) has also been updated to require that applicants provide the approved interconnection application or the Certificate of Completion from the utility (if applicable).
 
DCEO prefers that applications be submitted via email (ceo.rerp@illinois/gov), though applications may be sent through regular mail.  However, please do not submit both ways – just need one copy of the application.  If you send applications by email, you will receive a response that your application has been received. 

Approximately $2.5 million has been allocated to the rebate program this fiscal year.

 

ISEA will announce the opening of the rebate program as it is released.

You’re Invited...

The Illinois Solar Tour, on Saturday, October 4th, 2014 is a FREE PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE to demonstrate how home and business owners are utilizing solar, wind, geothermal heat pumps, passive solar design, and energy efficiency to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and to be energy independent.

You can visit any site at any time between 10 am and 2 pm. Homeowners will be available at each site to provide information, share experiences and answer questions. 

Attend the Solar Tour to:
• meet people who have renewable energy installations, learn why they did it, the process, what they love about it and lessons learned.
• learn about the different technologies and see how they are installed
• hear about how different renewable energy technologies can work together
• find out all of the ways you can use renewable energy to power your life

Attend the tour and get all of your renewable energy questions answered!

 
Sign up to volunteer your home as a host site or sign up to attend one or more of these open houses! Sponsorships available.

Visit our Solar Tour page for more information.

Invitation for Bid: Turnkey Solution Photovoltaic (PV) Solar Panels

First published Thursday, July 31, 2014

Sealed bids will be accepted at the address below until 2:00 PM, Thursday August 21, 2014:

Purchasing Division
212A Illini Plaza
1817 South Neil Street
Champaign, IL 61820 

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of the University of Illinois is requesting bids to complete a turnkey installation of a 300 kW dc photovoltaic (PV) solar panel system at their facility. 

Please see Section A.5 of the bid document for information of the site visit scheduled for August 12, 2014 at 9 a.m. (local time)

For additional information, contact:

Jacob Shaw

212A Illini Plaza

1817 South Neil Street

Champaign, IL 61820 

Phone: (217) 300-7035

FAX: (217) 239-6880

Purchasing Website

Purchasing Officer - Cathy Link

The University reserves the right to accept or reject any and all responses or parts thereof. Vendor may expect payment thirty to sixty days after receipt of invoice, unless otherwise stated in the bid documents. Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) eligibility number is required on all proposals, if applicable. This procurement may be contingent on Board of Trustees approval. There is no BEP goal for this procurement.

This transaction is subject to the State Board of Elections registration and certification requirements of Public Act 095-0971.

The State of Illinois has a policy to encourage prospective vendors to hire qualified veterans, minorities, females, persons with disabilities and ex-offenders.

Workshop Announcement: Supplemental Photovoltaic Procurement Plan

There is one week left until the next NABCEP exam application deadline! The next round of Certification Exams deadline is July 18, 2014 and the next exam date is October 4, 2014.

If you have the knowledge and experience to qualify for a NABCEP Certification Exam in PV installation, solar heating, or technical sales... take the next step now!!

The opportunity for the certification exam only comes twice a year so act now!!

Learn how to apply here 

The Solar Chicago program has been highlighted in the Chicago Tribune! 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/breaking/chi-rooftop-solar-discount-program-20140709,0,1457940.story

Solar Chicago is a new community wide group solar discount program offered by the City of Chicago, the World Wildlife Fund and Vote Solar. The City is participating in this program to help homeowners pool their buying power to secure significant discounts that make installing solar on your home more affordable than ever.

After vetting several solar companies, a volunteer community evaluation committee has selected the team of Juhl Renewable Energy Systems and Microgrid Solar as Solar Chicago's installation partner. As a result, they will pass along savings from reduced marketing costs and bulk purchasing to Solar Chicago participants to provide residential solar starting at $3.49 per-watt - more than a 25% discount off the average market installation costs.

In addition to offering Solar Chicago participants solar electric systems at a discount, the Juhl-Microgrid Solar team will also provide an incentive rebate for each system installed through the program, if the total installed solar capacity exceeds program goals.

To learn more visit the Solar Chicago page.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Law Signed by Governor Quinn to Promote Solar Energy in Illinois 

ILLINOIS, July 2, 2014: --  Governor Pat Quinn signed legislation on Saturday to promote solar energy purchases in Illinois. With this law, $30 million will be available to develop solar projects including residential rooftop solar installations.

 

“These last days of June are some of the longest of the year, the perfect time to talk about getting more of our electricity from solar,” Governor Quinn said. “Thousands of residents will soon get cheaper, cleaner energy, and we will create good paying jobs for working families in the process. It’s this sort of innovation that has made Illinois a national leader in clean energy production.”

 

House Bill 2427 frees $30 million from the Illinois Power Agency’s Renewable Energy Resources Fund that has been collected from clean energy fees paid by Illinois power suppliers. The law establishes a competitive procurement process to purchase energy from existing solar devices and from new solar installations. This could mean thousands of new solar panel installations on homes in Illinois. The law is effective immediately.

 

Illinois Solar Energy Association (ISEA) Executive Director Lesley McCain said “Solar businesses in Illinois are extremely pleased that Governor Quinn has signed this legislation. We would like to thank State Representative Robyn Gabel (D-Evanston) and State Senator Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) for sponsoring the bill. This special solar procurement will be incredibly significant for our business members and help make solar more affordable for Illinois homeowners.”

 

Contact:

Illinois Solar Energy Association

contactisea@illinoissolar.org

http://www.illinoissolar.org

###

The Illinois Solar Energy Association in partnership with the Illinois Green Economy Network (IGEN)  and the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) held the first all-state solar conference on  Tuesday 4/8/14.  The conference, which attracted  150+ participants, provide the attendees with information and updates on all aspects of solar in Illinois!  From policy related information, to a toolbox for solar installers the information given was useful and engaging and will be used to advance the local solar industry.  You can view the conference presentations here.

Due to the cancellation of a number of projects that had been approved for a rebate, DCEO now has some rebate funds (approximately $100,000) available now for new applications.  However, these funds must be spent by the end of the state fiscal year.  Therefore, new solar or wind projects that can be completed by May 31st, please send in applications to DCEO as soon as possible.  New rebate applications will be considered on a first come first serve basis, until all of these funds have been allocated.  Installers for these projects must be certified by the Illinois Commerce Commission as a Distributed Generation Installer (or receive certification before May 31st.

 

Rebate applications should be sent to ceo.rerp@illinois.gov

Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced today that Chicago has been named the 2014 Earth Hour Capital of the United States by the World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) Earth Hour City Challenge, a year-long competition among cities to promote renewable energy and prepare for climate change. Cities that participate are recognized for their efforts in creating more sustainable, resilient cities, and compete for the title of U.S. Earth Hour Capital as well as grants from WWF.

 

Building on the success of the Chicago Solar Express, an initiative to make rooftop solar as easy and economical as possible for Chicago residents and businesses, the City will use some of the grant award funding to launch a partnership to help reduce purchase costs of solar arrays for Chicago residents. Read More.....