Spark Alerts: March 7, 2025

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

March 07, 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

📰 Market & Development News

📢 Policy & Programs

  • 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.

    • UPDATE- sister bill introduced in Senate 3/4, referred to Energy Committee.

  • HB1834- SELF-DIRECT ENERGY CREDITS

    • Would remove the requirement for the Illinois Power Agency to annually determine the amount of utility-scale RECs it will include each year from the self-direct RPS compliance program. Provides that the self-direct credit amount for each REC supplied shall be…equal to the volumetric charge collected under a provision in the Public Utilities Act. Provides that the approved self-direct credit amount shall be multiplied by each REC procured by participating customers for up to 100% of the customer's annual consumption.

    • Introduced 1/29. Referred to Public Utilities Committee on 2/25.

    • UPDATE- Committee hearing TBH 3/11 at 2:00pm.

  • 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- moved 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- moved to Senate Energy Committee 3/4.

East Coast: MD, NY, PA, VA

📰 Market & Development News

Maryland

  • Chaberton Solar case provides first public hearing 
    AHJ: Carolina Developer: Chaberton Solar
    March 5, 2025: Caroline County will hold a public hearing regarding a permit application for a new solar facility from Chaberton Solar. The county claims that the application violates local zoning laws given that portions are sited in a residential area.
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  • Grants to fund clean energy projects at Maryland universities
    March 3, 2025: Eleven Maryland colleges and universities will receive grants totaling $10.17 million to cut greenhouse gas emissions, including solar installations on their campuses.

New York

  • Despite Delays, Canadian Energy Tariffs Likely to Remain in Place
    March 6, 2025: Donald Trump delayed tariffs on all USMCA goods for approximately one month on Thursday. However, energy from Canada does not fall under the USMCA, meaning a 10% tariff on Canadian electricity will remain in place. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has announced plans for a 25% tariff on electricity imported to New York, Michigan, and Minnesota beginning next week, and has threatened to cut off electricity supply entirely. Grid operators are bracing for electricity price spikes stemming from incoming tariffs on Canadian power, particularly in the Northeast and Upper Midwest.
    —

  • NY Prepares to Collect Millions in Electricity Tariffs
    March 4, 2025: Grid operators in New York and New England are preparing to collect 10% tariffs on Canadian electricity, even as many officials maintain the fee does not apply to electricity imports.
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  • NY’s first grid-scale solar project comes online
    Developer: EDF Renewables
    AHJ: Livingston County
    March 5, 2025: EDF’s 177-megawatt Morris Ridge Solar project is officially online, sited in the town of Mount Morris.
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  • Town of Southampton Proposes New BESS Regulations 
    AHJ: Town of Southampton
    March 5, 2025: The Town of Southampton is advancing legislation to amend its zoning code regarding BESS. The proposed amendment introduces a comprehensive, tiered approach to regulate energy storage facilities. The legislation aims to end a temporary moratorium and establish clear guidelines for locating and operating BESS in different zoning districts, especially in light industrial areas.
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  • Islip Extends Moratorium on BESS Permits 
    AHJ: Town of Islip
    March 5, 2025: The Town of Islip is proposing a six-month extension of its moratorium on the issuance of permits for BESS, in response to safety concerns following recent fires at BESS facilities in New York.
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  • Montgomery Town Removes BESS from Code 
    AHJ: Town of Montgomery
    March 4, 2025: The Town of Montgomery recently adopted a local law that removes battery energy storage systems from the zoning code.
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  • SolarBank Provides Update on 7.2 MW North Main Project in Wyoming County, New York 
    AHJ: Wyoming County
    Developer: SolarBank Corporation
    March 4, 2025: SolarBank Corporation announced significant progress on its 7.2 MW North Main solar project in Wyoming County, New York. Having completed the Coordinated Electric System Interconnection Review, the project is set to proceed to the permitting stage.

Pennsylvania

  • Four PA Counties Move to Activate 100% Renewable Energy Purchasing
    AHJ: Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery
    March 3, 2025: The four counties listed above, collectively known as the Sustainable Energy Partnership of Southeast PA (SEP), have announced plans to procure 100% of their electricity from renewables by 2035. The SEP is actively seeking new members

Virginia

  • Mecklenburg considers ordinance to halt all future solar projects 
    AHJ: Mecklenberg County
    March 5, 2025: The Mecklenburg County Board of Supervisors held a public hearing on an ordinance that would halt all future utility-scale solar projects in response to community concerns. The proposed ordinance allows medium scale solar facilities (under 1 megawatt) on land zoned agricultural, business, industrial, or residential with a special exception permit.
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  • Halifax County supervisors reject change to ordinance for solar 
    AHJ: Halifax County
    March 5, 2025: The Halifax County Board of Supervisors discussed a proposed zoning amendment that sought to allow small-scale solar farms in the M-1 and M-2 industrial districts. Despite recommendations from the Planning Commission, the board voted unanimously against allowing these solar facilities. Supervisors expressed concerns that allowing solar farms would detract from the industrial purpose of these zones and limit opportunities for business development.
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  • New solar panel farm installed in Powhatan County
    Developer: Dominion Energy
    AHJ: Powhatan County
    March 3, 2025: Dominion Energy has completed construction on an 18-megawatt solar farm.
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  • Town of Bedford braces for significant electric capacity cost increase
    AHJ: Town of Bedford
    March 3, 2025: The Town of Bedford Electric Department is bracing for a significant demand increase stemming from data center growth and coal plant retirements. About 20% of the town’s electric capacity is from hydro, wind, solar, diesel, with officials expressing interest in more of these sources.

📢 Policy & Programs

Maryland

New York

  • S4571

    • Establishes a floating solar incentive and education program.

    • Introduced in Senate 2/7.

    • UPDATE- Passed Committee with amendments, reintroduced 3/6. House sister bill also introduced 3/6.

  • A6618

    • Establishes the “pollinator promotion act”, incentivises renewable energy projects for thepurposes of pollinator conservation.

    • Introduced in Assembly 3/6, referred to Environmental Committee.

  • S1553

    • Provides that credits for excess electricity generated by customer-generators subject to net energy metering may be carried over and used to offset electricity used.

    • Introduced 1/10, passed vote in Senate Energy Committee 8-1 on 1/22.

    • UPDATE- Passed Senate 58-3 on 3/5.

  • S5995

    • Creates an integrated energy system to determine an optimal energy mix among different generation types in the state.

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

  • S270

    • Provides an exemption from requirements for the alienation of parkland for solar canopies under 2MW.

    • Introduced in Senate 1/8.

    • Passed Senate 60-1 on 3/3.

  • S5846

    • Expands the solar energy system equipment tax credit to cover solar energy system equipment installed in a community solar array

    • Introduced in Senate 3/3, referred to Budget Committee.

Virginia

  • HB2037- Solar canopies

    • Provides that any locality may include in its land development ordinances a provision that requires that an applicant must install a solar canopy over designated parking areas. Applies only to nonresidential parking areas with 100 parking spaces or more.

    • Introduced 1/7.

    • Passed House 64-32 on 1/30. Passed Senate 40-0 on 2/11.

    • UPDATE- Governor’s action deadline set for midnight on 3/24.

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