Community-Driven Community Solar Project Selection Results for Program Year 2025-26
On June 2, 2025, the 90-day project application window opened for Community-Driven Community Solar (“CDCS”) for the 2025-2026 Program Year, allowing Approved Vendors (“AVs”) to submit CDCS applications until 11:59 p.m. CPT on September 2, 2025. Capacity available for the CDCS category was 34.07 MW for Group A and 56.99 MW for Group B. On […]
Reminder of December 17 Elective Pay Webinar
Elective Pay is a new mechanism that allows tax-exempt entities – such as local government offices, public schools, nonprofits, or houses of worship – who have installed or plan to install a clean energy project to file a tax return and receive a reimbursement for a portion (often at least 30%) of their project costs, even […]
Reminder: Program Year 2025-26 Community-Driven Community Solar Random Selection Event on December 17
As outlined in Section 5 of the Program Guidebook, the Community-Driven Community Solar (“CDCS”) application window closes 90 days after the start of the Program Year. With the Program Year commencing on June 2, 2025, the application submission deadline for Program Year 2025-26 CDCS projects was September 2, 2025. In accordance with the CDCS scoring guidelines previously […]
Annual Report Draft Drawdown Results, CDCS Random Selection Event, MES Mid-Year Report Submission Deadline
The IPA announces new information related to the Illinois Shines program. This announcement includes: Coming Up in Illinois Shines, Stakeholder Support, Program News, and Reference and Reminders. The full announcement is available here. Topics include the following: Coming up in Illinois Shines· Events· Due Dates Stakeholder Support· Program Administrator Office Hours· Application Tips and Tricks Program […]
Portal Maintenance to Address Disclosure Form Visibility Issue
The Program Administrator became aware of an issue in which some Disclosure Forms associated with one of an Approved Vendor’s (AV) Disclosure Form Designees may have been temporarily accessible to other Disclosure Form Designees operating under the same Approved Vendor. Specifically, Disclosure Forms may have been accessible via the Program portal’s Disclosure Form Report export […]
Reminder: Minimum Equity Standard Mid-Year Report Due December 31
As set forth in the Long-Term Plan and the Program Guidebook, in Program Year 2025-26, at least 14% of the project workforce for each Approved Vendor and Designee participating in the Illinois Shines program must be composed of Equity Eligible Persons. The Minimum Equity Standard (“MES”) applies to all Approved Vendors and Designees participating in […]
Mentorship Program Winter Cohort Registration Open, Elective Pay Webpage and Webinars, CDCS Scores Appeal Deadline
The IPA announces new information related to the Illinois Shines program. This announcement includes: Coming Up in Illinois Shines, Stakeholder Support, Program News, and Reference and Reminders. The full announcement is available here. Topics include the following: Coming up in Illinois Shines Program News Reference and Reminders Thank you!Illinois Shines [email protected]
Elective Pay Webinars: Reminder of December 3 Date and New December 17 Event
Elective Pay is a new mechanism that allows tax-exempt entities – such as local government offices, public schools, nonprofits, or houses of worship – who have installed or plan to install a clean energy project to file a tax return and receive a reimbursement for a portion (often at least 30%) of their project costs, […]
Registration for 2025-26 Mentorship Program Winter Cohort Now Open
Registration for AVs and Designees for the 2025-26 Mentorship Program Winter Cohort is now openandwill close on December 12, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. CPT. Please submit your application to participate by navigating to the Mentorship Program page. The Mentorship Program provides mentees with virtual courses and trainings covering Program processes and requirements, and facilitates opportunities to network […]
Illinois Shines Honors Graduating Mentees of Program Year 2025-26 Mentorship Program Fall Cohort
The Illinois Shines Program Year 2025-26 Mentorship Program Fall Cohort concluded Thursday, November 20, 2025, with an in-person graduation and celebration event for mentees. The event capped an eight-week Mentorship Program from September to November, during which mentees completed virtual training courses and participated in live, interactive sessions with experienced AV mentors and the Program […]