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Renewable Resources

The Illinois Renewable Portfolio Standard (“RPS”) was first established in 2007 and has been substantially updated through Public Act 99-0906 (the "Future Energy Jobs Act") and Public Act 102-0662 (the "Climate and Equitable Jobs Act").

Renewable Resources Programs and Procurements

  • The Adjustable Block Program -For photovoltaic distributed generation and community solar. Also known as Illinois Shines.
  • The Illinois Solar for All Program-For low-income photovoltaic distributed generation and community solar.
  • Competitive procurements -For the procurement of Renewable Energy Credits from new utility-scale wind, utility-scale photovoltaic, and brownfield photovoltaic projects.
  • Minimum Equity Standard (MES)-For projects receiving Renewable Energy Credits contracts under the Adjustable Block Program/Illinois Shines Program or through the IPA’s utility-scale REC procurements for a given Program/delivery year. A MES is the minimum percentage of project workforce for participating projects that must consist of equity eligible persons.
  • Energy Workforce Equity Portal- An online portal to help connect clean energy companies with Equity Eligible Persons looking to work in the clean energy sector in Illinois.
  • Large Customer Self-direct Program- For large electric customers to retire Renewable Energy Credits from new utility-scale wind and solar facilities and receive a bill credit reducing Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS)-related bill charges.

Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan

As part of the implementation of the Renewable Portfolio Standard, the Agency has developed the following Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plans:

Current Plan

The Modified 2022 Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan was released in May 2023.

  • On December 2, 2022, the Illinois Power Agency petitioned the Illinois Commerce Commission to reopen the proceeding that approved the 2022 Long-Term Plan, in order to make modifications to the Plan, to address issues related to the Equity Eligible Contractor category of the Adjustable Block Program. This Plan reflects the Illinois Commerce Commission’s Final Order in the proceeding.

Prior Plans (no longer in effect)

Information on each Plan is listed below.
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Modified Plan (December 2, 2022)

Final Plan (August 23, 2022)

Initial ICC Filing (March 21, 2022)

Draft Plan (January 13, 2022)

This Plan has been withdrawn by the Agency pursuant to the provisions of the Public Act 102-0662, which took effect on September 15, 2021.

Information on June/July 2021 Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan Update workshops

Proposed Modifications to the Revised Long-Term Plan (March 3, 2021)

Final Revised Plan (April 20, 2020)

Filed Revised Plan (October 21, 2019)

Draft Revised Plan for Public Comment (August 15, 2019)

Final Plan (August 6, 2018)

Initial ICC Filing (December 4, 2017)

Draft Plan (September 29 2017)

Utility Scale Wind Procurement (bid date scheduled for March, 2021)

May Workshops

The Agency held workshops in May, 2017 to discuss the implementation of Public Act 99-0906. After the workshops the Agency issued Requests for Comments. Information on the workshops and the responses to the Requests for Comments are contained here:

Initial Forward Procurement

Pursuant to Section 1-75(c)(1)(G) of the Illinois Power Agency Act, the Agency conducted an Initial Forward Procurement for one million annual RECs from new utility-scale wind projects and for 200,000 annual RECs from new utility-scale photovoltaic projects and brownfield site photovoltaic projects in August 2017. The Agency then conducted two additional photovoltaic Initial Forward Procurements each for 400,000 annual RECs in March and April 2018.

Distributed Generation

In 2017 the Agency conducted procurements for distributed renewable generation resources on behalf of Ameren Illinois, ComEd, and MidAmerican pursuant to the Agency's 2017 Procurement Plan.

Public Act 99-0906 also revised how Alternative Retail Electric Suppliers ("ARES") comply with the RPS. ARES compliance with the RPS is determined by the Illinois Commerce Commission.

ARES are recommended to review the changes to the administrative rules related to their RPS compliance (Title 83, Part 455: Renewable Portfolio Standard and Clean Coal Standard for Alternative Retail Electric Suppliers and Utilities Operating Outside their Service Areas).

Emergency Rules were adopted on June 1, 2017, and proposed permanent rules were developed in ICC Docket No. 17-0267.

The Illinois Power Agency procures renewable resources for Ameren Illinois, ComEd, and MidAmerican to meet their Renewable Portfolio Standard obligations. As described above these obligations will be changing pursuant to Public Act 99-0906.

The Illinois Power Agency also administers the Renewable Energy Resources Fund which is comprised of Alternative Compliance Payments made by Alternative Retail Electric Suppliers as part of their Renewable Portfolio Standard obligations. (Effective June 1, 2017, those payments are no longer made to the Renewable Energy Resources Fund.)

The fund is currently being used to support the $30 million Supplemental Photovoltaic Procurement Plan authorized by the Illinois General Assembly in Public Act 98-0672. View the Plan and procurement results. The Plan included three rounds of procurements in 2015/2016 that have now concluded.

As part of the Long-term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan, the Renewable Energy Resources Fund will also be used to support the Illinois Solar for All Program which will provide additional incentives for low-income households and communities. See the draft Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan for more information.

Ameren

ComEd

MidAmerican