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by Cassie Schoene
BEARDSTOWN, Illinois (KHQA) — As Governor J.B. Pritzker signs the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA) on Jan. 8, the very thing it supports—battery storage for clean energy—has been online for two weeks in Beardstown.
Equity Solar Illinois (ESI) is operating a community solar project combined with a battery storage system in Beardstown, Illinois called Beard Solar, and it's the first of its kind to do so in Ameren Illinois territory.
"It's a technological breakthrough," said ESI Principal Shawn Mobley, stating that battery storage makes solar energy more efficient.
Ameren Illinois said it's supportive of the project and more battery storage options in the future.
But critics of battery storage, like State Representative C.D. Davidsmeyer (R-Murrayville) and State Senator Jil Tracy (R-Quincy), claim this isn't helping address the growing need for energy—and rising energy bills as a result—because it's just storing energy, not actually adding more energy to the grid.
Mobley starkly disagrees.
"I would say with a straight face while it is true it is only transferring power, it's also true that we are generating now 35% more power through the same interconnect than we would've otherwise," said Mobley. "So to me that is incremental. Like truly incremental new power. It's not like we were going to produce a hundred units now and now it's just a hundred units spread out over time. It's truly the case that we're going to produce 130 units, 135 units now. So we are producing more than we would. These batteries allow us to produce a third more power, maybe 40% more power, than we would've otherwise. And do it at a time of day when people need it. We got you covered for dinner now. Maybe some TV time."
On top of being able to claim that they're champions in the field of clean energy storage for the Illinois, ESI has made a lot of promises to the community.
Like making donations into workforce development and training for residents looking to get involved in the operation, local businesses can subscribe to the solar panels and give them discounts of their energy bills (up to $700 in annual savings), and around $330,000 generated tax revenue over the course of the 20-year project.
"We look forward to being a positive and contributing member moving forward," said Mobley.
The mayor of Beardstown, Tim Harris, said he doesn't know too much about the project, but admits he also doesn't have authority over it either.
Still, he's hesitantly hopeful for what it could mean for the town.
But even Mobley admits this isn't the only solution to the energy crisis in the United States.
"No one energy source is going to solve all of the needs of America or Illinois. And we're huge believers in solar, but solar is not the only solution to all of our energy. It's a major part," said Mobley.
"CRGA is really to provide lower and more stable cost through the integration of battery storage. That'll be part of the overall energy mix. So, there's still currently today coal, gas, other forms of generation. Really Illinois is pushing over trying to get more renewable generation battery storage, onto the system. More of that, all of the above approach," said Parker.
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