SunVest Solar Chief Operating Officer Raj Soi (right) talks with SunVest employees Lucy Capone, Amber Carter and Zach Quinlivan on Oct. 2, 2026, about the community solar project SunVest has installed in DeKalb. (Camden Lazenby)
Federal and state elected officials walked through a muddy field Friday morning before celebrating the energization of a 7.7-megawatt direct current solar project across from the DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport.
The renewable energy project, operated by SunVest Solar, generates electricity from sunlight hitting 13,000 solar modules installed on 47 acres of municipal land at 3001 Pleasant St. in DeKalb.
U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, a Naperville Democrat, said he believes “expanding clean energy projects is essential to meeting” the nation’s growing energy needs.
“I’m proud that Illinois is helping to lead that effort,” Foster said. “This project is a great example of turning technological advances into practical benefits for people. Community solar makes those benefits available to families and small businesses who might otherwise be left out.”
Of the 1,100 households that have signed up to receive credits toward their electricity bill by subscribing to the community solar project, 60% are considered low- or moderate-income households.
Community solar projects like the one that was switched on Friday allow people who don’t own property to take advantage of renewable energy.
“By subscribing to a shared solar project, they can benefit from renewable energy without installing a system on their own property, and often take advantage of the superior economics of community solar,” Foster said.
U.S. Rep. Bill Foster, D-Naperville, speaks Oct. 2, 2026, at a newly commissioned community solar project in DeKalb about meeting the nation’s energy needs. (Camden Lazenby)
Officials estimate that subscribers to this community solar project could see an average yearly savings on their electric bills between $200 and $300.
Melissa Amedeo, executive director of the DeKalb County Economic Development Corp., said the project will create “real savings for working families.”
Gil Quiniones, president and CEO of ComEd, said the new solar facility’s energization marked an “unbelievable milestone” for the utility, with 2 gigawatts, or 2,000 megawatts, of distributed solar and stored electricity now connected to ComEd’s grid.
“It’s a big deal to have 2 gigawatts at this time, and it’s another sign of the continued growth in customer adoption of what we call distributed energy resources,” Quiniones said.
State Rep. Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore, also attended and spoke at the project’s energization ceremony Friday.
“Ben Franklin once went out in a storm to prove that we could get electricity out of the sky, and he nearly killed himself doing it,” Keicher said. “Today, right next to the airport, we’re pulling power out of the sky in a little bit of a different way. A lot more safe, and a lot better return on investment.”
Keicher told the audience of largely SunVest employees that Illinois electricity bills have increased 15% in a year, partly because more power sources have been decommissioned than brought online in recent years. He also said projects with 28,000 combined watts are awaiting approval for construction and connection to the electrical grid.
“The answer is to build, build all of it. Solar like this, storage and nuclear,” Keicher said.
At the solar energization ceremony, Keicher advocated for more nuclear power plants in Illinois, which produces more nuclear power than any other state in the country.
“We’re No. 1, and I intend for us to stay No. 1.“
Bill Nicklas, DeKalb city manager, said he had a “grand respect and appreciation” for those who work in science and create projects like the new community solar installation.
“In the experience that I have had in DeKalb in these last eight years, we have done a lot of things, and we have made some mistakes, but we are listening and learning from people like you, who invest every minute of every day in trying to make things just a little bit better,” Nicklas said.
He also thanked the ComEd and SunVest workers for their collaboration on the project.
Quiniones said the new infrastructure is the first of its kind installed on a municipal airport.
“We can see how public land can support a clean energy future,” Quiniones said.
Because the property is owned by DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport, SunVest is renting it for $4.52 million, according to information provided by SunVest. The operating lease agreement between the city and SunVest Solar is effective for 25 years from the date of construction completion, according to city documents.
Foster said the project’s location – a golf swing away from aircraft hangars – made it unique.
“The engineering might be a little more complicated for this kind of project near an airport, but I bet the politics are easier – would be my guess.”
Camden Lazenby covers DeKalb County news for the Daily Chronicle.

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