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“Implementation is not an easy process, but there’s a lot of good people working on it.”
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Illinois is one step closer to a cleaner, more resilient power system after its first state-mandated battery auction secured 600 megawatts of storage.
The amount was below what regulators wanted, but it still gives Illinois a significant boost in a fast-growing technology that can supply power when wind and solar output dips.
According to Capitol News Illinois, the inaugural battery procurement required by the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act will add enough utility-scale storage by 2030 to serve roughly half a million homes. The new total would also be a major increase over Illinois’ current 141 megawatts of utility-scale battery storage, based on Solar Energy Industries Association data.
The auction was designed to secure 1,038 megawatts overall. In central and southern Illinois, in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator region, results beat expectations, with 520 megawatts from four projects. Northern Illinois, part of the PJM Interconnection territory, fell far short of its goal, with a single project providing 80 megawatts.
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Supporters nevertheless called the first round encouraging. Brett Sproul, Advanced Energy United’s Illinois policy advocacy lead, said: “Despite not hitting the initial procurement target, the 600 megawatts of storage, regardless, in and of itself, is a huge step forward for Illinois, and definitely a really great success for affordability and reliability in the state.”
As wind and solar make up a larger share of electricity generation, battery storage is becoming more important. It allows power to be saved for times when sunlight and wind are unavailable, reducing dependence on dirty fuel power plants and helping stabilize costs for ratepayers.
“My sense is that we just had a mismatch between the commercial operation date this procurement was seeking, and the status of project development in the PJM queue,” said James Gignac, Midwest Policy Director at the Union of Concerned Scientists.
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A major challenge in PJM has been long interconnection delays, which have made it tougher for new projects to connect to the grid on schedule. Procurement rounds planned for 2027 and 2028 are expected to give the Illinois Power Agency more flexibility, and the next round may also permit projects that pair batteries with solar or wind.
The law is also helping push residential efforts ahead. It enabled “virtual power plant” programs, including Solrite Energy’s new option that combines rooftop solar with home batteries so households can lower their bills while sending electricity back to the grid during times of high demand.
Illinois still must add at least 3,000 megawatts of storage by the end of 2030, so this first auction is the first phase of a much larger expansion.
“I think that the paired solar and storage market is really aggressive and optimistic for the future for Illinois,” said Andrew Linhares, Director of Midwest State Affairs at the Solar Energy Industries Association.
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“It’s exciting to see real-life projects and programs being implemented as a result of the legislature’s leadership. Implementation is not an easy process, but there’s a lot of good people working on it,” Gignac added.
These articles look at major battery storage projects, new grid battery technology, Illinois electric vehicle charging expansion, and EV battery recycling.
• Greenalia made a massive move into Texas with a 1.9-gigawatt renewable energy project.
• Arizona’s Papago project secured over $500 million in financing for large-scale battery storage.
• CATL unveiled the world’s first mass-producible energy storage system built for longer life.
• Illinois launched its first EV charging station under a state-funded grant program.
• Massachusetts salvage yards still struggle to find takers for old batteries from EVs.
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