Spark Alerts: April 4, 2025

The latest solar news, RFPs and program policy updates at your fingertips

April 04, 2025

Note: This is a proof of concept for Spark Alerts, focusing on Illinois community solar, then on New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia. Please help us improve by sharing your feedback with us!

Illinois Community Solar

  • 4/1- Kane County held public hearings for two community solar farms by SuryaPower. No decisions were reached.

📰 Market & Development News

📢 Policy & Programs

  • No policy updates.

East Coast: MD, NY, PA, VA

📰 Market & Development News

Maryland

  • 4/1- Caroline County officials proposed a 5% acreage cap on solar installations within critical areas in the County.

  • 3/31- Solar Landscape has installed 14 new rooftop community solar projects across Maryland, totaling 6.6 MW. The company has over 50 planned projects in the state.

New York

  • 4/3- The Town of Gainesville is reviewing a proposal from SUNN 1009, LLC for a 5.0 MWAC solar array.

  • 4/3- RWE is hosting an open house to discuss the 300-MW Town Line Solar and Storage Project in Sullivan County.

  • 4/2- Sugar Maple Solar, LLC has applied for a Major Renewable Energy Facility Siting Permit to develop a 125-MW solar facility and a 20-MW BESS in the Towns of Wilna and Croghan.

  • 4/2- York Run Solar, LLC has submitted an application for a siting permit to develop a 90-MW solar facility in Chautauqua County.

  • 4/2- Suffolk County is considering a 12-month extension of the moratorium on BESS permits requested by the Town of Southold.

  • 4/1- Riverside Solar, LLC has applied for a CPCN to operate a 100-MW solar facility in Jefferson County.

  • 4/1- Briarcliff Solar, LLC is seeking to develop a 15-MW solar project at a former research facility site in the Village of Briarcliff Manor.

  • 4/1- A 6-MW project by Woodfield Renewables, built on a steep slope, came online in Jefferson Valley.

Pennsylvania

  • 4/2- Penn Township held a public hearing to grant an SUP to Burget & Associates for an unspecified solar project.

  • 4/2- Scott County held two public hearings regarding special use permit applications submitted by Pivot Energy.

  • 4/1- The City of Scranton approved its first solar farm, a 3-MW project by Bear Peak Power.

Virginia

  • 4/3- Dominion Energy Virginia has proposed an extensive expansion of solar and energy storage projects, which includes 11 utility-scale solar projects, two smaller solar installations, and a combination of solar and storage elements.

  • 4/3- Mecklenburg County planners narrowly granted a special exception permit to Longroad Energy’s 80-MW 7 Bridges Solar project.

  • 4/2- Stafford County approved a community solar project by ESA.

  • 3/31- A SEIA study found that Virginia ranks 8th nationally in solar energy generation, with roughly 7GW and 5,000 jobs.

📢 Policy & Programs

Maryland

  • HB4/SB120- Land Use Cost

    • Prohibiting any restriction on land use that increases the cost of installing a solar collector system by at least 5% over a certain cost, or that reduces the efficiency of the system by at least 10%.

    • UPDATE- Passed in Senate 4/2. Will move to Governor.

New York

  • S7197A6955

    • Directs NY DPS to create rules regarding setback requirements for BESS siting.

    • Requires minimum setback requirements for projects over 5MW of minimum 1000 ft from residential property; requires public hearings prior to the approval of an application for a permit for such systems.

    • Introduced in Assembly 3/18, amended 4/1, sent to Energy Committee.

    • Introduced in Senate 4/3, referred to Energy Committee.

  • A7584

    • Establishes a program to provide grants to identify the best practices and strategies for agrivoltaics and dual-use solar energy projects.

    • Introduced in Assembly 4/1, amended 4/2, sent to Energy Committee.

  • A7537

    • Requires manufacturers of solar panels, wind turbines, and batteries to collect such materials when they are taken out of use.

    • Introduced in Assembly 4/1, sent to Environmental Committee.

Pennsylvania

Virginia

  • HB2113- Solar Interconnection Grant Fund and Program

    • Establishes the Solar Interconnection Grant Fund and Program for the purpose of awarding grants on a competitive basis to public bodies to offset costs associated with the interconnection of solar facilities to the grid.

    • Passed House 68-30 on 2/4. Passed Senate 39-0 on 2/20.

    • Vetoed by Governor 3/24.

    • UPDATE- House sustained Governor’s veto 4/2, bill killed.

  • HB2090- Multi-family shared solar program

    • Amends the multi-family shared solar program to include facilities that are within 25 miles of a multi-family utility customer. Also adds requirements that a subscriber's net bill not fall below the minimum bill and requires that the calculation of a subscriber's minimum bill be based on the amount of kilowatt-hours billed by the utility.

    • Passed 52-43 on 1/29. Passed Senate 21-18 on 2/19.

    • Vetoed by Governor 3/25.

    • UPDATE- House sustained Governor’s veto 4/2, bill killed.

  • SB823- Construction of renewable facilities

    • Requires Dominion Energy Virginia and Appalachian Power, in constructing any renewable energy facility, to develop and submit a plan to the State Corporation Commission for review and approval addressing certain targets.

    • Passed Senate 21-19 on 1/17. Passed House 51-46 on 2/18.

    • Vetoed by Governor 3/24.

    • UPDATE- House sustained Governor’s veto 4/2, bill killed.

  • SB1040- Dominion Energy

    • Amends Dominion Energy PPA requirements, including for BTM solar. Prioritizes non-farmland siting for solar.

    • Passed Senate 26-14 on 2/19. Passed House 97-0 on 2/18.

    • Amendments proposed by Governor 3/24.

    • UPDATE- Senate rejected Governor’s amendments 4/2. Will return to Governor’s desk.

  • SB1394- Storage targets

    • Increases the targets for energy storage capacity that Appalachian Power and Dominion Energy Virginia are required to petition the State Corporation Commission for approval to construct, acquire, or procure and extends the time frame by which such capacity must be met. 780MW target for Dominion and 520MW target for AP.

    • Passed Senate 40-0 on 1/31. Passed House 55-42 on 2/18.

    • Amendments proposed by Governor 3/24.

    • UPDATE- Senate rejected Governor’s amendments 4/2. Will return to Governor’s desk.

📋 RFP Opportunities

Illinois

Maryland

  • Maryland Solar For All has indicated that it will soon open its selection process for low-income solar contractors, and has opened an RFP for a grant management specialist.

Michigan

Missouri

  • MDNR Grid Resilience Formula Funding (GRFF) Subgrants

    • Missouri’s Department of Natural Resources is offering $13 million in total funding to “improve the all-hazards resilience of the electric grid against disruptive events and prevent outages” for projects located in Missouri.

  • Missouri Green Banc: Applications for Energy Improvement Project Funding

    • Missouri Green Banc has an open RFP to solicit proposals to finance energy improvement projects. Applicants may “propose transactions that facilitate the financing of clean energy projects in Missouri”. This is an ongoing solicitation open to proposers in connection with a range of clean energy projects and businesses.

Ohio

  • SOPEC Solar Development Planning

    • The Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council (SOPEC) is requesting competitive proposals from solar developers to bundle a variety of behind-the-meter solar arrays into a unified PPA, with an option to purchase the solar arrays after the PPA term. No submission date is listed. Submissions are due by email.

Pennsylvania

  • PA Department of Commerce Solar Energy Program

    • The Solar Energy Program provides grants and loans to promote the generation and use of solar energy and the manufacture or assembly of solar equipment in Pennsylvania, up to $3 per watt. Applications are currently being accepted on a rolling basis.

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