Spark Alerts: April 25, 2025

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

April 25, 2025

Distributed Generation news, RFPs and program policy updates in US federal policy, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

📰 Market & Development News

US

  • 4/24- New Mexico’s community solar program, signed into law in 2021, is officially live.

  • 4/24- The US Interior Department is set to fast-track permitting on a range of energy projects, limiting environmental reviews from one year to just 14 days. Notably, solar and wind are not included in the list of eligible project types.

  • 4/23- US developer Silicon Ranch received a $500 million investment despite political unrest surrounding renewables.

  • 4/23- The Trump administration approved a nearly $600 million Biden-era grant to Dairyland Power Cooperative to pursue over 1,000 MW of clean energy PPAs in Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

  • 4/22- The Bureau of Land Management resumed permitting reviews for solar and storage projects on federal land.

  • 4/21- US trade officials finalized tariffs of up to 3,500% on most solar cells from four countries in Southeast Asia, in response to a trade case seeking to protect American manufacturers.

Illinois

Iowa

Maryland

  • 4/22- Worcester County scheduled a public hearing for a 5-MW project by Turning Point Energy on 5/6.

  • 4/22- Wicomico County will hold public hearings on Wicomico Wilbur Solar, three colocated projects totalling 15 MW, on 5/5.

  • 4/22- Baltimore County delayed a council vote on two solar bills to review the impact of state legislation preventing local governments from adopting prohibitive zoning laws. The bills would increase solar setbacks and ban solar on prime farmland.

  • 4/21- Montgomery County’s parks department announced plans to double the park system’s solar energy production over the next five years, to nearly 6.8 million kilowatt-hours.

Michigan

  • 4/24- Michigan developers say the state’s favorable zoning policies will be key to building more renewables and meeting the state’s RPS goal.

  • 4/22- Michigan announced a $9 million grant program for community solar pilot projects in the state, and plans to hold more grant rounds through 2026.

  • 4/21- The Michigan Farm Bureau filed a brief supporting townships in the challenging of large-scale renewable energy projects.

Missouri

Ohio

  • 4/24- Residents of Adams County voiced opposition to a proposed 4-MW community solar farm by Greenkey Solar.

  • 4/22- In response to severe weather, the City of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and the City of Painesville have formed a coalition to build 63 MW of renewable energy and 10 MW of battery storage.

Pennsylvania

Wisconsin

📋 RFP Opportunities

Georgia

  • Georgia Power – 2029–2031 All-Source Capacity RFP

    • An all-source solicitation for new generation capacity (including utility-scale solar projects via PPAs or build-transfer) to meet Georgia Power’s needs in 2029–2031

    • The RFP was launched in 2024 and is accepting bidder registration and proposals via an Accion online portal. A full schedule and bid due dates will be announced in 2025.

  • Georgia Power – CARES 2025 Renewable RFP

    • A utility-scale renewables RFP under the Clean and Renewable Energy Subscription (CARES) program, targeting ~2,100 MW of new solar and wind capacity for commercial/industrial subscribers.

    • The 2025 CARES RFP is being issued in Q2 2025, with proposal submission anticipated later in 2025.

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.

  • Misc

Michigan- NEW

  • MI Healthy Climate Challenge: Solar For Savings- NEW

    • Includes multiple funding rounds to support projects that help the state reach carbon neutrality.

    • First round of funding will offer $9 million in grants for residential and community solar projects. Entries are due by 5pm on 7/30. See this link for more information.

  • Consumers Energy 2025 RFP

    • A broad Request for Proposals announced by Consumers Energy to add new generation resources, including utility-scale solar projects (via PPA or build-transfer), to meet future capacity needs and supply its Green Pricing program.

    • The RFP process began with a bidder conference on 4/10, and proposal submission will occur through an online portal in mid-2025 (exact due date TBD).

  • Xcel Energy 2025 RFP

    • Excel Energy is seeking 200 MW of solar or solar + storage hybrid generation assets in the Upper Midwest, to come online by 3/31/2029. Bids are due 4/29. A second RFP will be issued on 6/22.

  • DTE Energy Storage RFP

    • MI DTE announced an RFP for standalone energy storage projects to support its CleanVision IRP, with about 450MW total capacity. Bidders can register company information on the PowerAdvocate website. Bids are due 6/27.

  • Agriculture and Rural Business Energy Incentive Program

    • The Michigan Department of Environment has issued an RFP for renewable energy projects for farms, agribusinesses, and rural businesses/nonprofits. The RFP will close on 4/25, with grants expected to go out by 8/31.

  • Misc

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.\\

  • Misc

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 SEF Regenerative Energy RFP

    • The Sustainable Energy Fund (SEF) is seeking projects that will support the deployment of circular energy and agrivoltaics. Bids are due by 5/15.

  • 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

  • Xcel Energy 2025 RFP

    • Excel Energy is seeking 200 MW of solar or solar + storage hybrid generation assets in the Upper Midwest, to come online by 3/31/2029. Bids are due 4/29. A second RFP will be issued on 6/22.

  • Misc

📢 Policy & Program Updates

Illinois

  • HB3374- ENERGY EFFICIENCY-EXTEND REPEAL

    • Extends the repeal date for IL’s Renewable Energy Act of 1997, which prioritized grants and incentives to foster renewable development. The original bill is set to expire on 12/31/25, this bill extends that date out to 12/31/26.

    • Introduced in House 2/18, passed House 4/11.

    • UPDATE- first Senate reading 4/23, referred to Assignments Committee.

Michigan

  • HB4028/4027

    • Restores siting control on large clean energy projects to the local level.

    • Introduced in House 1/28, referred to Energy Committee.

    • UPDATE- passed committee review 4/22. Will move to full House vote.

Missouri

  • HB662- Community Solar

    • Creates a community solar pilot program.

    • Introduced in House 1/8, passed Emerging Issues Committee review 4/1.

    • Referred to House Rules Committee 4/16.

    • UPDATE- Action postponed in committee 4/23.

    • NOTE- This postponement, combined with a second committee review, is slightly troubling for the bill and could lead to it remaining stalled in committee until the end of the legislative session in mid-May. Postponements can happen for any number of reasons, however, and as this is specifically not listed as an indefinite delay, it may continue to move forward soon. Spark will continue to monitor.

Pennsylvania

  • HB504- Community Solar

    • Creates a community solar program.

    • Introduced in House 4/23, referred to Consumer Protection Committee.

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