Illinois is set to purchase up to US$30 million in PV power and connect it to the state’s energy mix for electricity consumers after legislation was signed into law Saturday that will help expand the PV rooftop market in the state.
The law, which went into effect immediately, will require the Illinois Power Agency to buy solar power in order to meet a certain amount of the state’s electricity needs. The law sets up a competitive procedure to purchase the power from new or existing PV installations, which also includes rooftop PV owners who want to sell any leftover energy back into the grid.
Pat Quinn, governor of Illinois, said: “Thousands of residents will soon get cheaper, cleaner energy, and we will create good-paying jobs for working families in the process.”
The money that the Illinois Power Agency will use to purchase the solar power comes from the organisation’s Renewable Energy Resources Fund, which is generated from clean energy fees paid by power suppliers.
