Fall 2026 AV and EEC Roundtables
The Program Administrator is excited to announce the next round of Illinois Shines AV and EEC Roundtables. The Roundtables provide an opportunity for participants to share program feedback and offer insights on market challenges and conditions. Roundtable participants will connect with other AVs and EECs, Illinois Shines Sector Strategists, and other Program Administrator team members. […]
Upcoming EAS Learning Series Webinar
Earlier this year, the Program Administrator and the IPA DEI Team launched the Illinois Shines Equity Accountability System (EAS) Learning Series, to highlight the importance of equity in the clean energy economy, and within the program, and to equip vendors with resources and support to meet and exceed Program equity requirements. The next webinar in […]
Case Study: How Harrisburg, IL Sparked Economic Growth by Embracing Solar
The Program’s newest case study spotlights seven municipal solar projects in Harrisburg, Illinois. The city government partnered with a local Approved Vendor to develop solar on City Hall, the Fire Department, and Water Department buildings, among others, through Illinois Shines’ Small and Large Distributed Generation categories. The case study highlights how Harrisburg leveraged solar to […]
IPA Lifting Pause on Two Withhold Limit for Distributed Generation Starting June 29
Beginning with re-batching that opens on June 29, 2026, DG projects will only be permitted to be withheld twice before they must be submitted to the ICC for REC Contract approval or permanently withdrawn from the Program. Projects that have been withheld more than two times already will be required to submit to the ICC or withdraw. This process is further outlined in […]
IPA Lifting Pause on Two Withhold Limit for Distributed Generation
As announced in August 2025, the IPA paused the enforcement of the two withhold limit, from Part I application submissions to the ICC meetings for REC Contract approval, due to the Federal Reconciliation Bill (H.R.1) and the Executive Order issued on July 7, 2025. The pause will be lifted for the July 16, 2026, ICC meeting, with the […]
Financing Opportunities Webinar Held
As previously announced, the Program Administrator held a webinar on Thursday, April 9, 2026, to provide information on financial resources and financing opportunities, including grant and loan programs, Illinois Shines vendors can pursue. Presenters included Illinois Shines partner organizations HACIA, NLR, CEJJF, and the Ameren Market Development Initiative. A recording of the event and presentation slides are now available; questions and […]
Navigating H.R.1: Resources for Residential and Commercial Solar Projects
This announcement and associated consumer and vendor web pages at the Program website address House Resolution 1 (“H.R.1”). H.R. 1, signed into law on July 4, 2025, introduces significant changes to clean energy tax credits previously available under the Inflation Reduction Act. These changes have implications for clean energy customers, developers, and communities across Illinois. The clean energy tax […]
Portal Latitude and Longitude Updates Implemented
As shared earlier this week, the PVWatts® Calculator no longer provides the “address” query parameter required in project application submissions, including estimated system production and associated contractual REC delivery amounts. On March 10, 2025, the Program Administrator implemented a solution that automatically resolves the new PVWatts requirement for latitude and longitude from applications upon running […]
Portal Latitude and Longitude Update
As shared last week, effective March 11, 2025, PVWatts® Calculator will no longer be available to provide the “address” query parameter used to support application submissions, including estimated system production and associated contractual REC delivery amounts. However, no change to the user experience is expected, and the Program will provide information early next week on […]
Request for Feedback on Subscriber Management within the Illinois Shines Portal
The Program Administrator is developing functionality for AVs and Designees to manage subscribers in the Illinois Shines Portal via CSV upload. In support of this development, the Program will hold the first Working Group meeting on January 22, 2025 from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. CPT. Additional information and Zoom links have been sent out to […]