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

• Zoning Board of Appeals public hearing and meeting
  AHJ: Village of Barrington Hills
  March 10, 2025: The village of Barrington Hills approved amendments to its zoning code, outlining new zoning and SUP requirements for solar projects.
  —

• New Energy Equity Partners with Harlem Consolidated School District on Community Solar Project
  Developer: New Energy Equity
  AHJ: Winnebago County
  March 7, 2025: New Energy Equity has partnered with Harlem Consolidated School District to develop a 5.54-megawatt solar energy project. The project, originally developed by BOW Renewables, will be built on school district-owned land in eastern Winnebago County.

📢 Policy & Programs

• HB2902- UTL- BOARD ELECT PLANNING

  • Provides that beginning on November 1, 2025, and every 3 years thereafter on November 1, all electric co-operatives, municipal power agencies, and municipalities shall file an integrated resource plan with the Illinois Power Agency.

  • AKA Municipal and Cooperative Electric Utility Planning and Transparency Act.

  • Introduced in House 2/6. Assigned to Rules Committee.

  • UPDATE- 3/4- assigned to House Public Utilities Committee.

• HB2810- AGRICULTURE IMPACT MITIGATION

  • Authorizes the Department of Agriculture to temporarily halt construction or other activities on a project upon a finding of noncompliance with an agricultural impact mitigation agreement.

  • Introduced in House 2/6, assigned to Rules Committee.

  • UPDATE- assigned to House Energy & Environment Committee 3/4.

• SB2437- UTL- TIME-OF-USE PRICING

  • Ties in with the Municipal and Cooperative Electric Utility Planning and Transparency Act.

  • Increases annual cumulative savings goals for utilities with five hundred thousand to three million subscribers.

  • Provides that an utility that has a tariff approved within one year of the Act’s passage shall also offer at least one market-based, time-of-use rate for eligible retail customers.

  • Introduced in Senate 2/7, referred to Assignments Committee.

  • UPDATE- assigned to Senate Energy Committee on 3/4.

• SB2387- AGRICULTURAL LAND CONSERVATION ACT

  • Would pay lessees for any agricultural land removed from production to develop a solar farm.

  • Introduced in Senate 2/7, referred to Assignments Committee.

  • UPDATE- assigned to Appropriations Committee 3/4.

• HB 3499/SB 2310- NET ELECTRICITY METERING

  • Promotes community generation, cost standardization for interconnection, and net metering.

  • Introduced in Senate 2/7, referred to Assignments Committee.

  • UPDATE- assigned to Senate Energy Committee 3/4.

East Coast: MD, NY, PA, VA

📰 Market & Development News

Maryland

• Caroline countians testify against solar siting legislation
  AHJ: Caroline County, MD
  March 7, 2025: In a Maryland Senate hearing, Caroline County leaders and farmers expressed strong opposition to the Renewable Energy Certainty Act (SB 931). They argued that the bill could lead to extensive solar development on prime agricultural land, threatening local farming and undermining community zoning regulations.

New York

• Heated public hearing in Westhampton Beach over proposed solar farm
  Developer: CVE North America
  AHJ: Village of Westhampton Beach
  March 7, 2025: A public hearing was held in Westhampton Beach regarding a proposed 11-acre solar farm covering that has faced strong opposition from residents. Concerns primarily focused on noise pollution from the solar panels, which are planned to be located 100 feet from residential homes. A lawsuit has been filed against the village claiming inadequate public process prior to the lease approval.
  —

• Canada slaps electricity tariffs on New York, Minnesota, Michigan
  March 10, 2025: Ontario will apply a 25 percent surcharge on electricity exports to three U.S. states, beginning Monday, in response to U.S. tariffs on Canada.

Pennsylvania

• No market or competitor updates since last issue.

Virginia

• Developer brings third lawsuit to compel action on solar application
  Developer: RWE Renewables
  AHJ: Mecklenburg County
  March 5, 2025: RWE Renewables has brought a third lawsuit against Mecklenburg County to compel it to comply with RWE’s request to build a 90-megawatt facility after the County denied its proposal, saying the County failed to comply with public notice requirements.

📢 Policy & Programs

Maryland

• HB0061- Public School Construction and Renovation - Solar Canopies for School Parking Lots - Underground Infrastructure

  • Establishes requirements for solar canopy projects on school parking lots, specifically establishing requirements for underground power infrastructure.

  • Introduced in House 1/8.

  • House hearing held 1/28 at 1:00pm.

  • UPDATE- Passed House Committee review 21-2-1 with amendments on 3/10.

• HB1233/SB1022- Community Solar- Subscription Eligibility

  • Allows LMI subscribers to subscribe to a community solar project located in a different electric service territory from their own; requires the Public Service Commission to establish a process for exchanging community solar bill credits between systems in different electric service areas.

  • Introduced 2/07, referred to House Economic Matters Committee. Hearing scheduled for 2/21.

  • UPDATE- Senate hearing cancelled.

• HB0739/SB0478- Solar Energy Generating Systems- Local Approval

  • Prohibits the Public Service Commission from approving a CPCN for a solar energy project unless the Commission receives written approval for the construction of the generating station from each county or municipal corporation where the generating station is proposed.

  • Introduced 1/23.

  • UPDATE- Senate/House hearings held 3/6. No vote held.

• HB0742/SB0640- Solar Energy Generating Systems- Eminent Domain

  • Prohibits a person constructing a solar energy generating station from exercising a right of condemnation in connection with that construction.

  • Introduced 1/27.

  • UPDATE- Senate/House hearings held 3/6. No vote held.

• SB0908/HB1225- Affordable Grid Act

  • Requires electric companies to develop an electric system distribution plan every 3 years and provide the Public Service Commission with annual progress reports.

  • Introduced 2/3.

  • UPDATE- Senate hearing held 3/6. No vote held.

• SB0983/HB0827- Solar Energy - Distributed Generation Certificate of Public Convenience and Necessity, Ground-Mounted Solar, and Small Solar Siting Workgroup

  • Establishes a CPCN to authorize the construction and operation of “a certain distributed solar energy generating system”. Prohibits a county from enacting certain zoning laws or adopting certain regulations regarding certain ground-mounted solar systems and facilities.

  • Introduced 1/29.

  • UPDATE- Senate hearing held 3/6. No vote held.

• HB1396/SB0737- Property Rights Protection Act of 2025

  • Prohibits condemnation of property to construct a power line or a solar/wind project.

  • Republican sponsored.

  • Introduced in the Senate 1/31, House 2/7.

  • UPDATE- House hearing held 3/6, no vote held. Senate hearing scheduled for 3/11.

New York

• S6286

  • Establishes an agrivoltaics viability pilot program to provide grants to identify the best practices and strategies for dual-use solar/farming projects.

  • Introduced in Senate 3/7, referred to Agricultural Committee.

• A6270/S5781

  • Requires all AHJs with a population over 5,000 to adopt an automated solar permitting platform by 6/30/2026.

  • Introduced in Senate 2/28, referred to Community Development Committee.

  • Introduced in House 3/3, referred to Energy Committee.

  • UPDATE- reintroduced with amendments 3/7.

Virginia

• HB1883- Renewable energy portfolio standard program requirements.

  • Amends RPS requirements for Dominion Energy Virginia, including an increase in 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.

  • Passed Senate 23-17 on 2/19.

  • UPDATE- Enrolled bill sent to Governor on 3/7.

Questions or feedback? Just reply to this email!

Learn and search more on Spark AI