New Energy Future News

CHICAGO, IL—A project that would bring the nation’s largest urban solar plant to Chicago’s South Side moved one step closer to reality today, as the Chicago City Council’s Housing and Real Estate Committee recommended passage of an ordinance that would allow the city to lease the 41 acres for development of the plant to Exelon Solar Chicago LLC.  

The project, a joint venture between Exelon and SunPower, calls for the development of a 10 MW solar photovoltaic plant at an unused brownfield site in the West Pullman neighborhood of Chicago.  The plant would contain 32,8000 solar photovoltaic panels, creating 200 jobs directly from the construction of the plant and saving over 14,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. 

“Just as previous generations engaged in a race to the moon, we’re now seeing a race to take advantage of the sun,” said Environment Illinois’s Brian Granahan, who testified in favor of the ordinance.  “All around the world, nations are moving to harness the sun’s power to reduce energy costs, reduce carbon emissions, and reduce fossil fuel consumption.  For Chicago to be a true leader on environmental issues, it must also be a leader on this vital resource—and this project is a bold first step.”   

The ordinance now moves to the full Chicago City Council for approval.  Assuming approval of the lease ordinance—and the availability of federal loan guarantees pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009—Exelon believes the 10 MW plant could be operational by the start of 2010.