The Agency has released a draft of the 2024-25 Program Year Illinois Shines Program Guidebook for stakeholder feedback.
This draft Guidebook will undergo stakeholder feedback, the Agency will review comments submitted and then release a final version of the Guidebook for the 2024-25 Program Year, which commences on June 3, 2024. Changes in this draft version of the Program Guidebook include updates to conform with the ICC’s Final Order on the IPA’s 2024 Long-Term Renewable Resources Plan dated February 20, 2024 , and changes derived from stand-alone feedback process that have already occurred, such as Advance of Capital Evaluation Criteria and 2024 AV Application update, as well as changes to the Public School category derived from the passing of Public Act 103-0580.
The Agency will release the final Program Guidebook for the 2024-25 Program Year on April 19, 2024, 45 days in advance of the start of the Program Year, to allow Program participants time to review, understand, and prepare to be in compliance with all changes in the Program Guidebook when the 2024-25 Program Year commences on June 3, 2024.
PLEASE NOTE – Changes to the Program requirements via edits to the Program Guidebook as published on April 19, 2024 will not take effect until June 3, 2024. Beginning June 3, 2024, all Program participants are expected to be in compliance with new Program requirements in the finalized 2024 Long-Term Plan and the updated Program Guidebook or may face disciplinary action.
Next Steps in Program Guidebook Comment & Update Process
- Comments on draft Program Guidebook due March 27, 2024
- Draft Program Guidebook
- Redline comparison between current 2023-24 Program Guidebook and draft 2024-25 Program Guidebook
- Comments should be emailed to [email protected] with subject line “2024-25 Program Guidebook Feedback”
- Agency to review comments and make final edits
- Agency to release final Program Guidebook for the 2024-25 Program Year on April 19, 2024
- Updated Program Guidebook takes effect June 3, 2024
High Level Changes to Draft Guidebook
- Program Capacity Increase – from 666 MW to 800 MW starting June 3, 2024
- Removed the capacity delineations of Group A and Group B for Distributed Generation categories
- Approved increase in application fees to $20/kW, not to exceed $15,000/project (increase from $10/kW; $5,000/project)
- Program will close and not accept new Part I applications from May 27, 2024 to June 2, 2024, in order to prepare for next Program Year
- Updated prioritization approach for redistributing uncontracted capacity
- Created Distributed Generation and Community Solar sub-categories for the Public Schools category
- New information regarding the Equity Eligible Contractor (EEC) requirements
- 200% DC/AC ratio limit for systems that include a battery/storage component
- Clarification on Community Solar residential and small commercial customers with multiple subscriptions requirement
- Removal of the 5% of REC contract value collateral requirement for Public Schools in the Tier 1 and 2 categories, or located in environmental justice communities
- Creation of new EEC Subcontractor category
- New information on the advance of capital process
- Development of an Escrow process and Solar Restitution program to provide economic assistance to harmed customers
Stakeholders can find the draft Program Guidebook at the Program Documents page of the website. Responses will be made public and published on the Program’s website https://illinoisshines.com/. However, should a commenter seek to designate any portion of its response as confidential, that commenter should provide both public and redacted versions of their comments. Stakeholders should email comments to [email protected] by March 27, 2024.
