Illinois Takes Steps to Deploy Clean Energy to Strengthen the Power Grid – Bold Action is Still Needed
The Illinois General Assembly has passed HB0587, a bill that includes provisions aimed at addressing some of the challenges Illinois faces in meeting its clean energy goals. While this bill takes important steps, such as streamlining rooftop solar policies, expanding the efficacy of renewable energy programs, recalibrating income thresholds for Illinois Solar for All, and starting the state’s journey towards energy storage, it falls short of delivering the comprehensive reforms necessary to ensure a resilient, sustainable, and affordable energy system. With increasingly volatile energy price spikes and a federal administration prioritizing fossil fuels over clean energy, Illinois must act boldly to protect consumers, stabilize the grid, and advance climate action.
Additional key provisions of HB0587 include updates to transmission system construction and diversity standards, new diversity goals for transmission projects, and expanded eligibility for solar and storage rebates. The bill also ensures renewable energy projects meet contractual commitments and lays the groundwork for a utility-scale storage procurement of up to 1,500 MW. These measures represent progress, but they are incremental in the face of the urgent need to strengthen Illinois’ power grid against climate risks and market instability.
In particular, two key policies that were pivotal steps toward clean energy solutions, were dropped from the bill at the eleventh hour. One set of policies would have dramatically expanded energy efficiency programs for the two largest utilities in Illinois, saving all customers money and helping to create a more resilient and affordable grid. The other policy would have created a new “Office of Modeling” at the Illinois Power Agency which would build a road map for the least-cost pathway to Illinois’s clean energy goals.
Looking ahead, Vote Solar and our partners at the Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition (ICJC) are committed to continuing negotiations to pass the Clean and Reliable Grid Act and other priority policies in 2025. These policies would position Illinois as a national leader in battery storage and grid resiliency, ensuring investments in energy efficiency and storage that deliver energy savings, protect consumers, and support our transition to a clean energy future. The ICJC has already confirmed that negotiations will resume in the spring legislative session, and coalition members are eager to achieve the bold climate action Illinois urgently needs.
As the Trump administration works to dismantle federal clean energy progress, Illinois has a unique opportunity to lead by example. By passing the Clean and Reliable Grid Act in 2025, lawmakers can secure a sustainable future for the state’s power grid, shield consumers from price spikes, and reaffirm Illinois’ commitment to climate leadership. The path forward is clear: bold action is needed now more than ever.