Spark Alerts: March 28, 2025

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

March 28, 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

  • 3/27- The Winnebago County Board is considering a 4 MW community solar facility in the county.

  • 3/25- Marion County greenlit Apex Clean Energy’s 35-acre solar farm in Patoka Township.

  • 2/35- Champaign County is discussing amendments to its ordinance to incorporate further BESS definitions and regulations.

  • 3/25- The City of Aurora filed a formal protest over RPIL Solar’s 5MW project, saying it conflicted with their comprehensive plan.

  • 3/25- Granite City approved decommissioning plans for Granite City Solar and St John Solar.

  • 3/25- Standard Solar acquired 9MW of IL community solar from Cenergy Power.

📰 Market & Development News

📢 Policy & Programs

  • HB3231/SB2289- UTILITIES- ENERGY CREDITS/CP

    • Among other changes, removes the requirement for the Illinois Power Agency to annually determine the amount of utility-scale renewable energy credits to be included in the self-direct RPS compliance program.

    • Introduced in House 2/6, Senate 3/4.

    • UPDATE- Senate Energy Committee review deadline set for 4/4.

  • SB1816- RENEWABLE ENERGY PROCUREMENT

    • Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act to allow for post-award renegotiation of contract terms for renewable energy projects supported through competitive procurements.

    • Introduced in Senate 2/6.

    • UPDATE- Senate Energy Committee review deadline set for 4/4.

  • HB3779/SB2473- MUNICIPAL AND COOPERATIVE ELECTRIC UTILITY PLANNING AND TRANSPARENCY ACT

    • Provides that, by November 1, 2025, and by November 1 every 3 years thereafter, all electric cooperatives in IL shall file an integrated resource plan.

    • Among other changes, mandates renewable power to be used to power 100% of new data centers in the state.

    • Introduced in House 2/18, Senate 3/4.

    • UPDATE- Senate Energy Committee review deadline set for 4/4.

  • HB3265- RES AUTOMATED SOLAR PLATFORM

    • Requires municipalities with populations over 5,000 and all counties to adopt a residential automated solar permitting platform by July 1, 2026.

    • Introduced in House 2/6, Senate 2/7.

    • UPDATE- Senate Energy Committee review deadline set for 4/4.

East Coast: MD, NY, PA, VA

📰 Market & Development News

Maryland

  • 3/27- BGE’s 2.8MW Rivers community solar project began operations in Sykesville..

  • 3/25- Ruthsburg Solar LLC held a public hearing for a CPCN for a 5-MW solar project in Queen Anne’s County.

New York

  • 3/27- The Town of Carlton discussed a 6-month moratorium on solar projects.

  • 3/27- Chemung County heard requests from the Town of Veteran to create BESS regulations, and from the Town of Big Flats to establish utility solar siting guidelines.

  • 3/26- Solar Liberty Energy Systems is taking the Dunkirk Town Board to state Supreme Court after the Town initially approved then rejected a community solar project.

  • 3/26- The New York Power Authority has acquired its first renewable project: a 20-MW solar energy project in Washington County, previously managed by CS Energy.

  • 3/25- Wyoming County is considering implementing guidelines for large-scale solar.

  • 3/25- A BESS project by NineDot Energy in Marine Park is facing public pushback due to its siting close to businesses and homes.

Pennsylvania

  • 3/26- The City of Sunbury held a hearing for Citus Celotex’s solar project, after the company filed an appeal against a new city ordinance which would prohibit the project.

  • 3/25- The Prospect Borough Council unanimously passed two ordinances allowing for solar and wind energy facilities within the borough.

Virginia

  • 3/26- Stonega PSH, LLC proposed a 650-MW BESS project in Wise County.

  • 3/26- Boutetort County held a public hearing for a SUP for a 100MW BESS project by Gateway Grid.

  • 3/25- Residents in Powhatan County shared concerns about construction runoff from construction on a 118-acre Dominion Energy solar project dirtying a local lake.

📢 Policy & Programs

Maryland

  • HB0004/SB0120- Restrictions on Use - Solar Collector Systems - Alteration

    • Prohibits any land use restrictions which increase the cost of installing a solar system by at least 5%, or that reduce the efficiency of the system by 10%, over certain thresholds. Also gives community organizations more power to install, or prohibit installation of, solar systems in “common areas or common elements”.

    • Introduced in House 1/8, Passed House 100-36 on 2/13.

    • UPDATE- Passed second reading in Senate 3/26, will move to final Senate vote.

New York

  • S6286

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

    • Introduced in Senate 3/7.

    • UPDATE- Reintroduced with amendments 3/26.

  • S6882

    • Prohibits local governments from prohibiting the construction, installation, or operation of carport-mounted solar energy systems with a nameplate capacity of 5MW or less.

    • Introduced in Senate 3/26, referred to energy Committee.

  • A7391

    • Provides that credits for net-metered excess electricity may be carried over indefinitely and used against any charges imposed by a power authority; provides for the accounting of and reimbursement for credits once every 5 years.

    • Introduced in Assembly 3/25, referred to Energy Committee.

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.

    • UPDATE- Vetoed by Governor 3/24.

  • 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.

    • UPDATE- Vetoed by Governor 3/25.

  • 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.

    • UPDATE- Vetoed by Governor 3/24.

  • SB1040- Dominion Energy

    • Amends Dominion Energy PPA requirements, including for BTM solar.

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

    • UPDATE- Amendments proposed by Governor 3/24.

  • HB2537- Energy storage requirements

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

    • Passed House 54-44 on 2/4. Passed Senate with substitute 20-19 on 2/20.

    • UPDATE- Amendments proposed by Governor 3/24.

  • 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.

    • UPDATE- Amendments proposed by Governor 3/24.

📋 RFP Opportunities

Illinois

  • IPA Summer 2025 Indexed Wind, Solar Brownfield & Hydropower RFP

    • The IPA will hold a webcast on the Summer 2025 Indexed RFP on 5/28. RSVP here.

    • On 3/24, the IPA posted the Final Targets for the 20256 REC RFP.

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.

Wisconsin

  • Grow Solar Central Wisconsin

    • The Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) has issued a proposal in Midwest WI, for the design, procurement, and installation of new residential and small commercial PV systems as part of a bulk purchasing effort to lower prices. Proposals are due by 3/29.

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