High Level
This week, community solar saw milestone developments in
both Illinois and Colorado, but with markedly different approaches. Illinois
expanded access through industrial-scale rooftop deployment and strict equity
targets, while Colorado moved to accelerate clean energy deployment across all
technologies by using executive authority to fast-track projects. Both
approaches reflect the narrowing federal tax credit window and state-level
strategies to seize what remains of IRA-era momentum. The takeaway: community
solar's growth depends not only on supportive laws, but on state capacity to
execute under pressure.
Full View
Prologis launches Illinois’ largest rooftop community
solar portfolio, targeting equity and scale
• What happened:
Prologis and ComEd activated the first of 45 planned rooftop community solar
installations across northern Illinois, beginning with a 1.56 MW project atop a
logistics center in Franklin Park. The full portfolio will deliver 82 MW of
solar capacity and serve primarily income-qualified households.
• Who did it:
Prologis is developing and owning the projects, with SunVest Solar as designer
and installer. ComEd will administer billing and energy credit distribution.
• Why they did it:
Enabled by Illinois’ Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), the portfolio aims
to decarbonize urban infrastructure and expand solar access to residents
previously excluded by income or site constraints. Over 50% of credits will go
to households earning less than 200% of the federal poverty line or 80% of area
median income.
• Stakeholder views:
• Carter Andrus (Prologis
COO): “This is about more than solar panels—it’s about using our scale to make a
real difference.”
• Gil
Quiniones (ComEd CEO): “We are seeing the effect of the
pro-solar incentives… and how they support a cleaner, more
equitable energy future.”
• Rep.
Robyn Gabel (D-18): “This reinforces Illinois’ leadership in community solar.”
• Rep.
Norma Hernandez (D-77): “We’re
ensuring that working families… benefit from
lower utility costs and a more resilient grid.”
• What
happens next: Prologis will roll out the remaining 44 projects over two
years. ComEd expects to host 240 community solar projects by end of 2025,
supplying up to 520 MW.
Business
Wire
CleanTechnica
PV
Magazine USA
Colorado governor fast-tracks solar deployment to
preserve federal credit eligibility, including for community solar
• What happened:
Gov. Jared Polis issued a sweeping executive directive committing all state
agencies to prioritize clean energy projects—especially solar, storage, and
wind—to ensure timely eligibility for expiring federal tax credits.
• Who did it: Polis
outlined the directive in an August 1 letter to utilities, developers, and
agency heads, backed by implementation guidance from the Colorado Energy Office
and the Public Utilities Commission.
• Why they did it:
With shifting federal rules and a limited window for claiming IRA-related tax
incentives (including 45, 48, and 25D credits), the state is aiming to
eliminate permitting bottlenecks and ensure interconnection for cost-effective
projects.
• Stakeholder views:
• Gov. Polis: “This unified approach will lock-in cost-savings on utility
bills, build value for Colorado businesses, create jobs, and maintain our State’s leadership position in clean energy.”
• Wil
Gehl (SEIA): “[These steps] will save Coloradans
billions... while creating good local jobs and strengthening grid reliability.”
• What
happens next: Colorado will expedite permitting reviews, support voluntary
curtailment for community solar, enable equipment pre-purchases, and streamline
interconnection for distributed generation. A new Energy Savings Navigator tool
has also been launched to expand residential access.
PV
Magazine USA
Office
of Gov. Jared Polis
What’s the So What?
This week, two states with long-standing leadership in
community solar—Illinois and Colorado—demonstrated very different theories of
execution.
In Illinois, the momentum is clearly with scale and equity.
Prologis' 82 MW portfolio will double as an industrial clean energy strategy
and a low-income access program. It shows how rooftop real estate, when backed
by CEJA-style policy, can become a frontline tool for equitable
decarbonization. The structure is precise, the income thresholds are clear, and
the political support is robust.
In Colorado, the approach is speed. Faced with a closing
federal window, Gov. Polis is using every tool in the state cabinet to
fast-track projects. That includes community solar—but it also includes
utility-scale, battery storage, and permitting reform writ large. The goal is
to hit the runway before the tax credits disappear.
Both strategies are valid. But they underscore a key
tension: equitable solar access and policy certainty take time to build. Market
opportunity, on the other hand, can evaporate overnight. States must now do
both.
If the next chapter of community solar is going to be
durable, it won’t be written solely in legislative chambers. It will be won—or
lost—on execution.
Bibliography
Business Wire. “Prologis to Develop Largest Rooftop
Community Solar Portfolio in Northern Illinois.” July 30, 2025. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250730524199/en/Prologis-to-Develop-Largest-Rooftop-Community-Solar-Portfolio-in-Northern-Illinois
CleanTechnica. “Prologis Launches Into Large Community Solar
Rooftop Initiative in Illinois.” August 1, 2025. https://cleantechnica.com/2025/08/01/prologis-launches-into-large-community-solar-rooftop-initiative-in-illinois/
PV Magazine USA. “ComEd flips the switch on Chicagoland
rooftop community solar portfolio.” July 31, 2025. https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2025/07/31/comed-flips-the-switch-on-chicagoland-rooftop-community-solar-portfolio/
PV Magazine USA. “Colorado governor moves to get solar, wind
projects in service ‘as quickly as possible.’” August 1, 2025. https://pv-magazine-usa.com/2025/08/01/colorado-governor-moves-to-get-solar-wind-projects-in-service-as-quickly-as-possible/
Office of Gov. Jared Polis. “State Commitment Prioritizing
Deployment of Affordable Clean Energy.” August 1, 2025. https://drive.google.com/file/d/19yUgVo7UerkIulGzdZ3tlwZYCNXboAEZ/view