Cultivate Power’s Bowes Solar array in Elgin will provide lower cost electric service to 580 low- and moderate-income households, three small businesses, two towns and a church. (Cultivate Power photo) 
A newly opened 22-acre solar farm in Elgin will benefit 580 low- and moderate-income households and other electric customers in the area.  
The ribbon-cutting on Cultivate Power’s sprawling Bowes solar farm was held Thursday. The distributed solar and storage project consists of two installations. Each will generate clean, locally sourced and non-carbon-based electricity that will be distributed over Commonwealth Edison wires. 
Aimed at saving customers 20 percent on energy charges, the project will also benefit several larger customers, including three small businesses, two towns and a church. Cultivate Power officials say that collectively subscribers will save $13.9 million on their ComEd bills during the next 40 years. 
Besides providing lower-cost electric service to some residents, the project will provide donations to several local interests. Cultivate Power says it is contributing $575,000 in financial support to Elgin Community College and Food for Greater Elgin, which is a member agency of the Northern Illinois Food Bank. Other beneficiaries include Friends of the Fox River, We Care Solar, the Evolve Foundation, and Sesenergi Eco Solutions’ workforce training programs. 
The Bowes project site will pay an estimated $2.1 million in property taxes over its 40-year lifetime, directly benefiting School District U-46 and other government units. 
In addition, construction of the facility employed more than 75 individuals, including 49 union laborers. 
There are two ways residential and commercial electric customers can access solar power – installed rooftop photovoltaic panels and distributed solar and storage projects combining small-scale solar panel arrays with battery systems. Such systems, built close to where customers are located, help to lower electric supply costs and ensure better electrical grid reliability. 
Elgin officials expressed satisfaction with the solar project. 
“In Elgin, we are very deliberate about our land use planning and ensuring that our growth fits the nature of the community,” said Marc Mylott, the city’s community development director. “Cultivate Power was willing and able to develop despite the site’s encumbrances, creating a productive use of the land that generates property taxes and local electricity with limited disturbance to the surrounding community.” 
Chicago-based Cultivate Power has been developing distributed solar and storage projects across Illinois since 2022, with 14 projects up and running, and 20 more under construction. 
Cultivate says it “operates on the belief that clean power generation can play a key role in cultivating healthy, economically robust communities.” 
Brian Matthay, Cultivate Power’s managing director and co-founder, said the Bowes Solar project is a “significant milestone” for his company. 
“With this step, we’re cementing our long-term commitment to Illinois and to the goals of (the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, and Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act) to expand clean energy access and drive local economic growth,” he said. 
There were numerous challenges Cultivate had to overcome in the planning and development of the Bowes project, including adjacent train tracks, high-voltage power lines, an irregular footprint and a corner wetland that had frustrated previous development efforts. The company adapted its design to work within constraints, including using high-density racking technology from Planted Solar to enable a higher megawatt density per acre. 
Dale Player, vice president of engineering and smart grid for ComEd, said efforts like the Bowes project “demonstrate how thoughtful engineering and strong collaboration can unlock new opportunities for clean energy, even on sites with unique development challenges.” 
“By connecting more locally generated energy to the grid, we’re helping expand customer access to affordable renewable energy while continuing to maintain the reliable service our communities depend on,” he said. 
 “Our goal on every project is to ensure clean energy delivers tangible, local value beyond the grid benefits,” said Noah Hyte, Cultivate Power’s other managing director and co-founder. “Whether it’s lowering electricity bills for local families, supporting Elgin schools and nonprofits or creating local construction jobs, Bowes Solar reflects our deep commitment to strengthening the communities where we operate.” 
While CEJA and CRGA cover an array of goals and priorities, the bottom line is eliminating reliance on fossil fuels and natural gas. The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, passed in 2021, mandates a shift to 100-percent carbon-free energy by 2045, with the retirement of coal-fired generation units by 2030 and natural gas units by 2045. At the same time, it prioritizes “economic equity and workforce development.”  
The Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act, which was signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Jan. 8, and took effect June 1, focuses on energy initiatives, including creating the Geothermal Homes and Businesses Incentive Program, and a Solar Bill of Rights for municipal and cooperative utility customers.  
Cultivate Power has been involved in renewable energy development and financing since 2008. More than 10,000 Illinois households are saving on their ComEd or Ameren electric bills by subscribing to solar projects developed by Cultivate Power. 
 
 

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