(800) 669-5556

solar power

As solar funding dries up, Illinois renewables need CEJA

Despite rapid solar adoption after Illinois passed strong energy legislation in 2016, the state is fast-approaching a solar cliff–the funding that helps propel the state’s solar industry is running out. But the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA) could prevent the state’s clean energy progress from toppling over the edge. Specifically,…...

Read more

Solarize Chicagoland to host 25 webinars on going solar

The Solarize Chicagoland program returns in 2020 with 25 free, public, one-hour informational webinars. Through these events, called Solar Power Hours, Solarize Chicagoland educates home and small business owners about solar and offers an opportunity to secure discounts on solar photovoltaic systems through volume purchasing. The program is led by…...

Read more

Making History: The results of Illinois’ first solar lottery

By Christina Uzzo CUB Environmental Outreach Coordinator  In a first in state history, the Illinois Power Agency (IPA) held a lottery to determine which proposed solar projects would receive funding through a new state program called the “Adjustable Block Program.” Hundreds of projects won funding, including 112 community solar projects…...

Read more

The forecast is sunny for La Grange principal’s electric bills

When Tim Sheldon moved to La Grange from a multi-unit building in Chicago two years ago, he finally got the opportunity to install solar panels, something he had been interested in for years. “In one hour the sun showers us with enough energy to power us for a year, we…...

Read more

Solar job training in Marion, IL

Thanks to the Future Energy Jobs Act, solar job training is thriving in Marion, Illinois. Partnering with Elevate Energy, GRID Alternatives, Another Energizing Solar Installation and Advanced Energy Solutions, Williamson County’s Habitat for Humanity recruited 10 trainees from Lutheran Social Services to get a head start on some of the…...

Read more

Protect solar power—Oppose a tariff

We want to alert you about an important issue that could have a devastating impact on our efforts to fight for a more reliable and affordable power grid. Here’s a quick summary: A case before the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC)—a federal agency that provides trade expertise to the White…...

Read more

State Capitol Update: LIHEAP and solar funds saved!

  CUB wants to thank those of you who took action to protect two excellent state programs: Illinois Solar for All and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). A few weeks ago, funding for those programs was in danger of being “swept”—or used for different purposes in the…...

Read more

The day in the life of a CUB outreach staffer…

By Annabelle Roser As solar energy becomes more accessible to everyday consumers, the financial incentives of owning solar panels can be hard to pass up. The benefits of subsidizing or eliminating your energy bills through net-metering can be especially enticing to retirees or those on fixed incomes. Recently, I met…...

Read more