City Water, Light, and Power

Springfield, Illinois – The Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) has awarded the City of Springfield’s City Water, Light and Power with a grant for design of a community solar program, proposed as “Sunshine Savings.” By definition, a community solar program is a solar project or purchasing program that benefits multiple customers in a geographic area but otherwise can vary widely on how it works. The proposal for Sunshine Savings is to develop a business model for a solar program in Springfield that would apply electric bill savings to low income and disadvantaged areas based on the solar production of a new CWLP-owned solar installation.

“I’m very excited to put a grant like this to work, which will empower our City utility to help people in need in Springfield,” said Mayor Misty Buscher. “To be able to transfer the advantages of solar energy, to some of our community members who are in need will be a very rewarding and unique effort among local assistance programs.”

DCEO, which is providing $100,000 to CWLP to develop Sunshine Savings through its Community Solar Energy Sovereignty grant award, sought to choose projects that promote community wealth building via renewable generation projects. To define the Sunshine Savings program parameters, the grant requires site identification and assessments to be explored, plus completing work showing business model development, community engagement, and formulation of participation models for community members.

CWLP Chief Utility Engineer Doug Brown said when implemented, Sunshine Savings in Springfield could be a model for other municipal owned utilities seeking to create a financially viable and community-centered solar project that reinvests in a community. “To pilot an installation that adds community participation of new renewable energy but also keeps the benefits local to help those in need, without involvement of 3rd parties or private developers, is a bonus,” he said. “This is how public power, community utilities operate—incorporating programs and projects that keep benefits local to positively impact its customer-owners.

With the grant awarded, CWLP will now seek City Council approval to enter into the agreement and accept the DCEO funds. Once approved, the utility can proceed with hiring a contractor to develop a program with a plan to have the final layout of that work completed in Summer 2025. In the future, additional funding would be sought to build and install the solar array that would put the program into action and to begin to benefit low income CWLP residential customers with their electric costs.

CWLP applied for this grant in in partnership with two local groups, the Faith Coalition for the Common Good and Sustainable Springfield.

Rosa Harper-Davis, Community Organizer for The Faith Coalition for the Common Good said their group is excited for the opportunities to come from Sunshine Savings. “One of the key outcomes we look forward to is progress towards achieving equity and building wealth within low income households with this renewable energy investment,” she said. “We are very proud to partner with CWLP in this work and to assist in bringing public engagement and participation for a successful community solar project.”

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