CRGA primarily lowers energy bills by
building 3 gigawatts of energy storage.
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Paves the way for Illinois’ first Virtual Power Plant (VPP) program. VPPs pool energy from small-scale power sources like solar panels and batteries to lower demand peaks and save money for everyone on the grid.
Strengthens energy efficiency standards to help homeowners and businesses save money.
For every $1 invested in energy efficiency, homeowners and businesses get at least $2 in return.
Source: Citizens Utility Board
Implementing a formal planning process to help Illinois better anticipate future energy needs and keep prices low.
CRGA also contains other provisions that will
make energy more affordable:
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Energy storage reduces energy demand (which causes price surges), lowering costs for everyone on the grid.
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CRGA expands labor and equity standards – ensuring that Illinois workers across the state have access to jobs created by community solar projects.
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CRGA requires major energy projects to be built by Illinois workers, creating good-paying union jobs, strengthening communities, and keeping paychecks in Illinois.
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CRGA expands pre-apprenticeship programs - ensuring clean energy projects will continue to be built on a foundation of good-paying union jobs, equity, and opportunity.
CRGA will build battery storage - which pairs perfectly with solar energy. Solar and storage are the fastest and most cost-effective ways to deliver energy savings to Illinois families and businesses.
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CRGA establishes a new Storage for All program, enabling income-qualified households, nonprofit organizations, and public facilities to access the cost-saving benefits of home energy storage systems.
How will CRGA's energy storage program lower energy costs?
What is CRGA’s Virtual Power Plant (VPP) Program?
CRGA creates the pathway for Illinois to create VPP programs. A VPP utilizes many smaller energy generators, such as home solar panels, battery storage, and even electric vehicles, to pool their power and dispatch it to the grid when needed. Participants who opt-in to the VPP program are then compensated for the energy they contribute to the grid. VPPs also help lower energy prices for everyone on the grid, regardless if an individual or entity opts-in to the VPP program. It does so by rapidly and acutely addressing demand needs on the grid, lowering the energy demand and lowering energy prices for everyone on the grid.
What are CRGA’s economic benefits?
The new storage program will create thousands of construction, manufacturing, and energy jobs here in Illinois. Additionally, it creates new opportunities for individuals to enter the field through the state’s workforce hubs and programs, increasing access to careers in the clean energy industry. The energy grid is the backbone of the economy, and by upgrading and advancing the capabilities of the Illinois energy grid as well as the supply of energy, CRGA helps Illinois stand out as an attractive investment location for emerging and future industries, such as AI, quantum computing, data centers, advanced manufacturing, and more, that will generate tax revenue for the town, county, and state as well as additional job opportunities for Illinoisans.
Does CRGA make it easier for property owners to install clean energy on their homes or businesses?
Yes, through several pathways. CRGA creates a new Storage For All program. Much like its sister program, Solar For All, the new Storage For All Program will make it easier for income-qualified households, businesses, and nonprofits to install cost-saving home energy storage systems. Additionally, CRGA creates a Solar Bill of Rights, preventing municipalities from establishing arbitrary rules that block homeowners from installing solar panels on their property. CRGA also ensures that Illinois Shines, a program that helps income-qualified individuals afford solar panels, remains fully funded.
Energy prices follow the basic economic principle of supply and demand. Energy storage will increase our energy supply, lowering energy prices. Storage also helps manage energy prices by storing electrons when energy is cheap and demand is low and dispatching those electrons when energy is expensive and demand is high. Not only does this lower energy prices for the storage system owner, but it helps lower prices system-wide by helping lower energy demand on the grid.
Solar Power Illinois would like to thank Governor JB Pritzker, the Illinois General Assembly, and, specifically, six legislative champions for their tireless advocacy and leadership
to pass CRGA.
Assistant Majority Leader
Jay Hoffman
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Assistant Majority Leader Marcus C. Evans, Jr.
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President Pro Tempore
Bill Cunningham
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Majority Leader
Robyn Gabel
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Assistant Majority Leader
Ann M. Williams
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Senator
Steve Stadelman
On behalf of all Illinois ratepayers,
Thank You!
We also thank every lawmaker who voted to pass CRGA:
House of Representatives
Rep. Carol Ammons
Rep. Jaime Andrade
Rep. Dagmara Avelar
Rep. Harry Benton
Rep. Diane Blair-Sherlock
Rep. Amy Briel
Rep. Kam Buckner
Rep. Mary Beth-Canty
Rep. Sharon Chung
Rep. Michael Crawford
Rep. Fred Crespo
Rep. Margaret Croke
Rep. Lisa Davis
Rep. Will Davis
Rep. Margaret DeLaRosa
Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado
Rep. Anthony DeLuca
Rep. Martha Deuter
Rep. Daniel Didech
Rep. Kimberly Du Buclet
Rep. Marcus C. Evans, Jr.
Rep. La Shawn Ford
Rep. Robyn Gabel
Rep. Mary Gill
Rep. Jennifer Gong-Gershowitz
Rep. Edgar Gonzalez, Jr.
Rep. Nicolle Grasse
Rep. Angelica Guerrero-Cuellar
Rep. Will Guzzardi
Rep. Matt Hanson
Rep. Sonya Harper
Rep. Barbara Hernandez
Rep. Lisa Hernandez
Rep. Norma Hernandez
Rep. Maura Hirschauer
Rep. Jay Hoffman
Rep. Hoan Huynh
Rep. Lilian Jimenez
Rep. Gregg Johnson
Rep. Thaddeus Jones
Rep. Tracy Katz Muhl
Rep. Michael Kelly
Rep. Stephanie Kifowit
Rep. Lindsey LaPointe
Rep. Camille Lilly
Rep. Theresa Mah
Rep. Natalie Manley
Rep. Rita Mayfield
Rep. Anna Moeller
Rep. Bob Morgan
Rep. Yolanda Morris
Rep. Michelle Mussman
Rep. Suzanne Ness
Rep. Kevin Olickal
Rep. Aaron Ortiz
Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid
Rep. Bob Rita
Rep. Rick Ryan
Rep. Justin Slaughter
Rep. Nicholas Smith
Rep. Anne Stava
Rep. Katie Stuart
Rep. Nabeela Syed
Rep. Dave Vella
Rep. Larry Walsh
Rep. Chris Welch
Rep. Maurice West
Rep. Ann Williams
Rep. Jawaharial Williams
Rep. Janet Yang Rohr
Senate
Sen. Omar Aquino
Sen. Christopher Belt
Sen. Cristina Castro
Sen. Javier Cervantes
Sen. Lakesia Collins
Sen. Bill Cunningham
Sen. Mary Edly-Allen
Sen. Laura Ellman
Sen. Paul Faraci
Sen. Sara Feigenholtz
Sen. Laura Fine
Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton
Sen. Graciela Guzman
Sen. Michael Halpin
Sen. Don Harmon
Sen. Napoleon Harris, III
Sen. Linda Holmes
Sen. Mattie Hunter
Sen. Adriane Johnson
Sen. Emil Jones, III
Sen. David Koehler
Sen. Kimberly Lightford
Sen. Meg Loughran Cappel
Sen. Robert Martwick
Sen. Julie Morrison
Sen. Laura Murphy
Sen. Robert Peters
Sen. Mike Porfirio
Sen. Mike Simmons
Sen. Elgie Sims, Jr.
Sen. Steve Stadelman
Sen. Doris Turner
Sen. Rachel Ventura
Sen. Karina Villa
Sen. Celina Villanueva
Sen. Ram Villivalam
Sen. Mark Walker
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Clean Jobs Workforce Network Program Delivers a curriculum that prepares trainees for jobs in energy efficiency, solar and wind energy, energy storage, and electric vehicle industries. It also includes job readiness skills, certification test preparedness, the development of soft skills, and relevant technical skills.
Clean Energy Contractor Incubator Program Provides eligible contractors with access to low-cost capital, support for obtaining insurance, assistance registering to become vendors for state incentive programs, connections with firms hiring contractors and subcontractors, and other vital services. Participating contractors will receive training, mentoring and support to build their businesses, connect to projects, compete for capital, and execute clean energy-related project installations and subcontracts. The 13 incubators will be geographically distributed across Illinois. $21 million is allocated to this program each year, subject to appropriation.
Energy Transition Navigator Program Provides outreach, education, and recruitment to eligible individuals to participate in CEJA workforce programs and collaborates with local job markets and workforce organizations to help place trainees in careers. $6 million is allocated to this program each year, subject to appropriation.
Solar Training Pipeline Program Establishes a pipeline, or pool of trained installers, for projects authorized under the Illinois Solar For All Program and the revised Renewable Portfolio Standards. This program includes funding for programs that provide training to individuals who are or were foster care alumni or returning citizens transitioning into the workforce. $3 million in funding is allocated to this program, subject to appropriation.
Climate Works Pre-Apprenticeship Program Provides training to prepare people to succeed in apprenticeship programs in construction and building trades that are expected to see clean energy job growth. It will create a qualified, and diverse pipeline of clean energy workers, offering training, credentials, support with enrollment in apprenticeship programs after completion, barrier reduction services, and more. Subject to appropriation, $10 million per year will be allocated for the program, with an additional $6 million per year for distribution of Energy Transition Barrier Reduction Program services and funds.
Clean Energy Primes Contractor Accelerator Program Provides multi-year, one-on-one coaching to assist contractor participants in developing five-year business plans and growing their businesses. This includes review of monthly metrics and advice on achieving participant’s goals. Participating contractors will also be eligible for operational support grants and will have access to capital for upfront costs and pre-development funding. Participants will also receive mentorship, assistance for preparing for bids and Request for Proposal applications, assistance connection to state and federal programs, and more. $9 million is allocated to this program each year, subject to appropriation.
Returning Resident Clean Jobs Program Provides training within Illinois Department of Corrections (DOC) correctional facilities to prepare people for entry-level clean energy jobs. Participants will receive essential employability skills training as part of vocational or occupational training, and the training will lead to certifications or credentials that prepare candidates for employment. $6 million is allocated to this program each year, subject to appropriation.
Multi-Cultural Jobs Program Provides $4 million to fund multicultural jobs programs which are related to solar installation or similar sectors. The programming is run by diversity-focused community organizations that have a record of successfully delivering job training.
