Gar Creek Solar, an Illinois Solar for All community solar project, has been instrumental in building support for the community solar movement in Illinois and nationwide.
Gar Creek Solar is located in a designated “environmental justice community,” which means the state has identified a higher risk of exposure to pollution based on environmental and socioeconomic factors. This solar array is helping to remedy prior environmental discrimination while providing clean, discounted energy through the Illinois Solar for All Project to low-income residents. The project was completed in 2022, using entirely local union labor.
On December 9th, 2021, Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm toured the project and emphasized the promise of community solar. In her remarks, she said, “Community solar is so unique because it really does allow access to solar for people who may not have a home that they own or who share a home, we (see this project) as part of our national community solar partnership. We have 600,000 homes now, and we want to get to 5 million homes with community solar in the U.S. by 2025.”
