Oregon solar project adds battery storage to boost reliability, savings
Oregon solar project adds battery storage to boost reliability, savings
Abreanna Blose | Reporter assisted by AI
A new solar project in Oregon, Illinois, is combining solar power with battery storage to provide more reliable energy to the community.
The Ducks Solar project, developed by Equity Solar Illinois, is the first of its kind in ComEd’s territory, according to a community announcement. The project captures excess solar energy and stores it for use during peak demand periods, providing a more consistent energy supply.
“This project not only expands access to the benefits of affordable solar energy for small businesses and municipalities but also showcases how storage technology can strengthen our state’s energy independence,” Marcellus Moore, ESI principal, said in the announcement.
The 7.72-megawatt community solar project includes a 6.8-megawatt-hour energy storage system. It was developed in collaboration with US Solar and Eneon-ES.
ComEd, which serves more than 4 million customers in northern Illinois, noted the project’s contribution to grid modernization and reliability.
“Community solar and energy storage are key components of a clean energy future,” Gil Quiniones, president and CEO of ComEd, said in the announcement. “In addition, projects like Ducks Solar help ensure that the benefits of renewable energy reach more Illinois residents and that our grid is ready for the next generation of distributed power.”
Eneon-ES served as the project’s battery integrator and will provide ongoing system support.
Community Solar is a program that allows residents and businesses to participate in the renewable energy transition and lower their electricity costs without installing panels on their roofs. Participants who subscribe to a community solar project receive credits on their monthly electric bill. Ducks Solar’s subscribers are mostly small commercial businesses, according to the announcement.
The project consists of over 13,312 solar modules covering more than 32 acres. It will generate enough energy to support over 1,375 homes annually. The energy storage system can store enough energy to meet the annual consumption of 250 homes.
The battery system extends the energy output of the site, enabling it to deliver power for an additional three to four hours beyond sunset. This results in an estimated 20-30% increase in carbon-free energy delivery. The site and surrounding land, totaling 35 acres, has been planted with new pollinators and low-growth native species to support critical pollinators like butterflies and bees.
This story was created by reporter Abreanna Blose, ablose@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct.