Feb 25, 2025 Issue

Distributed Generation news, RFPs and program policy updates

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

📰 Market & Development News

• Ogle County Approves Community Solar Farm
  Developer: OneEnergy Development LLC
  AHJ: Ogle County
  February 21, 2025: Ogle County has approved a 16-acre, 2MWac community solar facility, with a 5-0 vote from the Zoning Board of Appeals and an 8-1 vote from the Planning and Zoning Committee. The local government has recently enhanced its regulatory framework, including implementing a fixed application cost of $100,000 for commercial solar projects.
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• Public Hearing for Solar Array System Installation in Shiloh
  Developer: Donato Solar
  AHJ: Village of Shiloh
  February 24, 2025: The Village of Shiloh held a public hearing on Monday evening, concerning a special use permit for a proposed 2MW solar array system. This project also includes a storage facility. The hearing aims to gather public input on the proposal.

📢 Policy & Programs

• No policy updates since last issue.

East Coast: MD, NY, PA, VA

📰 Market & Development News

Maryland

• Henryton Solar Farm Updates
  Developer: Nautilus Solar
  AHJ: Howard County
  February 23, 2025: The 2.3MW Henryton community solar farm has enrolled 227 customers and will begin power production in mid-July.

New York

• Planning Board Meeting Discusses Solar Projects
  Developer: Delaware Solar
  AHJ: Town of Lansing
  February 24, 2025: During a Planning Board meeting, the board was updated on a solar project proposed by Delaware Solar, which is currently under review. Additionally, the board examined a request for extension of a subdivision approval that may impact solar project planning in the area.
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• Steuben County discusses multiple solar projects
  Developer: Dimension Energy
  AHJ: Steuben County, Village of Avoca
  February 21, 2025: Dimension Energy is working on a potential solar project in Steuben County, with several towns in the county receiving tax exemptions and incentives for their solar farms. addition, the Village of Avoca is reviewing an application for a solar project within village bounds, though no developer was given.

Pennsylvania

• Shapiro says federal funding for Pa. cut off by Trump administration is unfrozen
  February 24, 2025: Governor Josh Shapiro announced that more that $2 billion of federal funding for Pennsylvania that had been cut off by the Trum[ administration would be unfrozen. The bulk of these funds will go towards environmental programs like plugging gas wells, building clean water infrastructure, and providing low-income home retrofits.
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• Solar energy project to support natural gas plant in Bedford County
  Developer: Enbridge
  AHJ: Bedford County
  February 23, 2025: A 7-megawatt solar array is being constructed in Bedford County to support liquid natural gas operations by Enbridge. Local officials expressed optimism for future solar projects, and say they have not seen any public opposition to the project.
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• Mifflin County approves solar ordinance
  AHJ: Mifflin County
  February 21, 2025: In a recent meeting, Mifflin County Commissioners approved a major ordinance for solar energy development, creating new regulations that will apply to 16 municipalities within the county. This ordinance aims to streamline the transition of agricultural land to solar installations, setting forth guidelines for decommissioning, environmental management, and taxation.
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• Cambria County explores solar at prison complex
  AHJ: Cambria County
  February 23, 2025: Cambria County Commissioners approved an RFP in 2024 exploring the installation of a solar facility at the Cambria County Prison Complex for a project of unspecified size. Cambria officials have received three responses to the request for proposals, from Solar Landscape, Madison Energy and BAI Group.

Virginia

• Washington Planning Commission to again consider solar regulations
  AHJ: Washington County
  February 24, 2025: The Washington County Planning Commission voted to amend their local zoning ordinance to increase the current solar farm size limit of 5 acres. Under the new ordinance, solar farms are permitted to be sized up to 8.5 acres.

📢 Policy & Programs

Maryland

• HB1061- Housing and Solar Energy Production

  • Requires state government to review all state-owned property for suitability for redevelopment into either solar or housing projects.

  • Introduced in House 2/5.

  • UPDATE- House hearing scheduled for 2/26 at 1:00pm.

New York

• S5386

  • Enacts the “state and local clean energy partnership”, directing the state public service commission to establish a standard community choice aggregation program for all utility service territories.

  • Introduced in Senate 2/21, referred to Energy & Telecommunications Committee.

Virginia

• HB2537- Energy storage requirements

  • Increases BESS construction, acquisition, and procurement targets for Appalachian Power and Dominion Energy.

  • Introduced in House 1/9.

  • Passed House 54-44 on 2/4.

  • UPDATE- Passed Senate with substitute 20-19 on 2/20. Will move to Governor.

• 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 Commerce Committee review 14-1 on 2/10, moved to Finance Committee review.

  • UPDATE- Passed Senate 39-0 on 2/20. Will move to Governor.

• HB1883- Renewable energy portfolio standard program requirements.

  • Amends RPS requirements for Dominion Energy Virginia, including the annual percentage of program requirements to be met with BTM clean energy sources of 3MW or less. Also removes the requirement for a solar or wind facility to have a capacity of no less than 50kw to qualify for a third party PPA.

  • Introduced 1/6.

  • Passed House 96-0 on 1/29.

  • UPDATE- Passed Senate 23-17 on 2/19. Will move to Governor.

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