Community solar represents a pivotal cleantech solution, offering a balanced approach to renewable energy generation that is both scalable and accessible. This innovative model bridges the gap between large-scale utility projects and individual rooftop installations, enabling broader participation in the clean energy transition while leveraging economic efficiencies. However, a less common but highly impactful application is emerging, where community solar projects are integrated with corporate commercial properties, transforming underutilized industrial spaces into power-generating assets for local communities.
Leading this transformative trend is Prologis, a global logistics real estate titan, which is actively converting its vast network of warehouse rooftops into expansive community solar facilities. This strategic move redefines how commercial real estate can contribute to sustainable development and community empowerment. The company’s vision involves deploying numerous large-scale rooftop solar installations specifically designed to serve as community solar projects, aligning business objectives with environmental and social benefits.
The pioneering effort commenced this week with the launch of the first community solar rooftop project in Franklin Park, Illinois. This inaugural installation marks the beginning of an ambitious program that anticipates the deployment of 45 such solar projects, collectively generating an impressive 82 megawatts (MW) of clean power. For context, Illinois, while a leader in community solar, currently hosts approximately 200 such projects. The addition of 45 new projects signifies a substantial expansion, considerably bolstering the state’s renewable energy infrastructure.
A significant aspect of this initiative is its direct impact on energy equity. More than half of the energy credits generated by these projects will be specifically allocated to income-qualified households. This deliberate allocation aims to democratize access to clean energy, bringing the benefits of reduced utility costs and sustainable power to underserved communities across the Chicago area and beyond, thereby addressing socioeconomic disparities through technological innovation.
This groundbreaking project is a collaborative endeavor between Prologis and ComEd, the region’s primary utility company. Carter Andrus, Prologis’s Chief Operating Officer, expressed immense pride in the partnership, highlighting Illinois as one of the nation’s fastest-growing solar markets. He emphasized that the initiative extends beyond mere solar panel deployment, underscoring Prologis’s commitment to leveraging its corporate scale for tangible community betterment and expanding access to the advantages of sustainable energy throughout Illinois.
The success and expansion of such clean energy projects are largely attributable to progressive policy frameworks. Illinois lawmakers have proactively enacted legislation like the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), which vigorously promotes the growth of businesses like Prologis within the renewable energy sector. This legislative foresight is yielding significant results, reinforcing Illinois’s status as a leader in community solar development and demonstrating the positive outcomes of robust pro-solar incentives.
Local political leaders have also voiced strong support for the initiative. Illinois House Majority Leader Robyn Gabel and State Representative Norma Hernandez lauded the project in Franklin Park, recognizing its dual benefit of expanding clean, renewable energy access and ensuring working families benefit from lower utility costs and a more resilient energy grid. They highlighted this model as a smart, community-centered approach to equitable and sustainable development and decarbonization.
Further specifics on the Franklin Park installation reveal that SunVest Solar, a national developer, engineered the 1.56 MW rooftop solar system atop a 195,000-square-foot Prologis logistics center. Prologis will maintain ownership and operational control of this facility, with its generated community solar credits primarily benefiting residential customers. A portion of these credits will also be directed to local businesses, fostering broader economic and environmental advantages within the community.
The broader landscape of Illinois Energy indicates a remarkable surge in community solar adoption since CEJA’s passage, witnessing a 400% increase in connected capacity from 2023 to 2024. ComEd anticipates 240 community solar sites on its system by late 2025, powering approximately 71,000 homes. This trajectory firmly establishes community solar as a vital segment of the state’s energy future, with companies like Prologis playing a crucial role in advancing this progressive and beneficial approach to power generation.
