Vistra plotting solar and energy storage at coal sites following Illinois climate act

By Andy Colthorpe
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email
Vistra’s large-scale battery storage project at Moss Landing, California, which repurposed a natural gas plant site. Image: Vistra Energy.

US utility Vistra Energy has welcomed this week’s passing of clean energy policies in the US state of Illinois, stating that they will support 300MW of solar PV and 150MW of battery energy storage it intends to build in the state.

Last week Illinois’ Senate passed the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, which commits the state to deriving 50% of its power from renewables sources by 2040 and 100% of by 2045.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

State governor J.B. Pritzker has said the act is to be passed into lawed as soon as possible, with Vistra looking to build solar and energy storage facilities at nine of its existing coal plant sites.

In a state which like much of the rest of the Midwest US has long been heavily dependent on coal, the act includes provisions to help retrain coal industry workers and support communities to justly transition to the coming clean energy economy. Coal plants in the state must be retired by 2030. 

It also included a Coal to Solar and Storage Initiative, which will make US$280.5 million available to energy storage projects installed at retiring coal plant sites. Vistra Energy, which operates coal plants around Illinois had previously advocated for such a plan, reiterating this call in April as it announced that economic conditions had brought forwards a planned plant closure from 2025 to 2022

More on this story can be read on sister publication Energy-Storage.news.

Read Next

September 11, 2025
The absence of negative pricing in Italy undermines the case for co-located solar storage, the co-founder of Italian IPP Terrawatt has said.
September 9, 2025
The US is forecast to reach between US$55-60 billion in clean energy tax credit monetisation in 2025, according to a report from clean energy financing technology platform Crux.
September 2, 2025
Spanish independent power producer (IPP) Grenergy has sold the fourth phase of its flagship solar-plus-storage project in Chile, Oasis de Atacama.
September 1, 2025
California's solar and storage association has called for US$10 million fines for PG&E and SCE for failing to approve residential solar and storage projects applications quickly.
August 31, 2025
Renewables developer and independent power producer (IPP) TagEnergy has acquired Australian developer ACE Power, adding 6GW of renewable energy and storage projects to its portfolio.
August 29, 2025
Independent power producer (IPP) Verano Energy has closed a US$204 financing for a 83MW/660MWh solar-plus-storage project in Chile.

Subscribe to Newsletter

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
September 16, 2025
Athens, Greece
Solar Media Events
September 30, 2025
Seattle, USA
Solar Media Events
October 1, 2025
London, UK
Solar Media Events
October 2, 2025
London,UK
Solar Media Events
October 7, 2025
Manila, Philippines