ComEd plans out 60 new rooftop projects in Illinois | Projects Weekly
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This week on Projects Weekly, Chicagoan utility company Commonwealth Edison and two partners have devised a plan for 60 new community solar projects across northern Illinois. In Oklahoma, RWE and Google have signed a 15-year PPA for Crooked Creek Solar, and We Energies has begun construction on a trio of renewable energy projects in Wisconsin. New York’s Wayne County has selected e2 Companies for its microgrid project, and LDES developer Hydrostor has inked an offtake agreement with the Clean Energy Alliance for its Willow Rock Energy Storage Center. Finally, Naples Airport has completed its 270-panel solar asset at its warehouse on the southwestern edge of Florida. Keep reading for all the details!
RWE and Google sign PPA for Oklahoma’s Crooked Creek Solar
RWE and Google has announced a new power purchase agreement (PPA) for Crooked Creek Solar, RWE’s first solar project in Oklahoma.
Set to support Google’s operations in the Southwest Power Pool market, the 155 MWac project will aid the tech giant for the first 15 years of its lifespan. The project also expands the company’s wider commitment to safe deliverance of reliable and affordable renewable power solutions in local communities.
“This agreement with Google marks an important milestone for RWE Americas and reflects the growing demand for affordable, reliable, domestically produced energy,” says Ingmar Ritzenhofen, chief commercial officer of RWE Americas. “Crooked Creek Solar demonstrates how strategic partnerships can accelerate new energy development while creating jobs, generating local tax revenue and strengthening communities.”
Bright spot: Crooked Creek marks the first solar project for RWE in the Sooner State, but it is far from the firm’s first foray into the area as a whole. The company currently owns and operates the 148 MW Boiling Springs wind project in Woodward County, and has six other power projects totaling 1.6 GW in development around the state.
RWE plans to begin construction on Crooked Creek Solar later this year, and the project is expected to be fully operational by 2028. During its construction, the project is expected to generate about $24.3 million in economic activity.
“Supporting a strong, stable, affordable grid is a top priority as we expand our infrastructure,” says Will Conkling, director of energy and power at Google. “Our agreement with RWE adds critical new generation to the local system, boosting the amount of affordable and reliable power supply for Oklahoma and the region.”
ComEd and partners announce 60 new rooftop solar projects in northern Illinois
Chicagoland-based electrical utility Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) has announced plans for development of 60 new rooftop community solar projects, alongside partners Solar Landscape and Public Storage.
As a whole, the suite of projects will deliver 44 MW of community solar energy, bolstering the grid in the Land of Lincoln and helping customers cut their utility rates. Ten of the projects have already reached fully operational states, the company adds, and have joined more than 400 sites under ComEd’s community solar portfolio.
“With demand for power rising faster than supply, community solar sites like this one offer a clean energy solution that can help close the supply gap and offer bill savings for customers,” says ComEd President and CEO Gil Quiniones. “By year end, we expect to have some 400 community solar installations across ComEd’s northern Illinois territory, making this region a national leader in developing a renewable resource that has a key role to play in delivering clean, affordable power over the long term.”
Bright spot: Once completed, the new suite of projects is expected to generate enough electricity to power about 6,150 homes, officials say. Additionally, the projects will help subscribing customers save an estimated $750,000 in their electrical bills each year, good for more than $36 million during the lifetime of the project.
The project is also set to create and expand local jobs to the tune of about 300 employment spots.
“Commercial rooftops represent one of the fastest, most scalable opportunities to expand the electric grid using infrastructure that already exists,” says Solar Landscape CEO Shaun Keegan. “By partnering with ComEd and Public Storage, we’re transforming underutilized real estate into energy infrastructure that lowers electricity costs for Illinois families while helping meet the region’s growing demand for power.
“This portfolio demonstrates how utilities, property owners and private capital can work together to deploy clean energy at meaningful scale.”
Wayne County taps e2Companies for New York microgrid project
New York’s Wayne County has selected integrated power solutions firm e2 Companies for development of a “comprehensive microgrid and energy resiliency solution” at the Wayne County Campus.
Located in Lyons, New York, the microgrid project will be a turnkey solution, providing system design, engineering, construction, commission, and long-term support. e2 Companies says the new project will strengthen critical energy infrastructure for the county’s organizations, which e2 Companies says continue to face demand to update aging infrastructure.
“Reliable power is fundamental to delivering essential public services,” says James Richmond, CEO at e2Companies. “Wayne County is taking a proactive approach to infrastructure resilience by investing in a solution that helps safeguard critical operations, improves energy reliability, and positions the county to respond effectively during grid disruptions. We are proud to partner with Wayne County on this important initiative.”
Bright spot: Alongside construction partner 34 Group and project control firm ZoKa Solutions, e2 Companies aims to create a solution for “uninterrupted power” for Wayne County. The company says the microgrid will be able to seamlessly transition between utility grid-based and onsite energy resources.
“The e2Companies microgrid and resiliency solution will help strengthen the county’s energy infrastructure while providing a flexible foundation for future growth, modernization, and expanded capabilities,” says Kevin Rooney, Wayne County’s Superintendent of Public Works.
We Energies begins construction on several renewable energy projects
Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based We Energies has announced the start of construction on three new energy projects, aiming to provide about 100,000 homes with renewable energy during peak command.
Between one solar project, one storage project, and one wind project, the three endeavors total 335 MW. All three will be located within Wisconsin, and have been previously approved by the state’s Public Service Commission.
Bright spot: In total, We Energies has about 3 GW of solar and 600 MW of battery storage projects either in service, under construction, or filed for approval. The new trio of projects will add to that, and add jobs to Invenergy, North America’s largest privately held energy developer.
“These renewable energy projects are part of our strategy to strengthen reliability through a balanced mix of Wisconsin-based energy sources, including renewables and state-of-the-art natural gas plants,” says Mike Hooper, president of We Energies. “In addition to helping meet growing electricity demand, the three projects will employ hundreds of workers with good-paying, union-first jobs.”
Once complete, We Energies will be the majority owner of the new projects. The company will host Wisconsin Public Service and Madison Gas and Electric as co-owners as it aims to fulfill its “all of the above” approach to electrical generation in America’s Dairyland.
“Bringing these projects into construction is an important milestone for Wisconsin’s energy future, especially in a moment when electricity demand is growing and all energy sources are needed to meet it,” says Daniel Litchfield, senior VP of development at Invenergy. “We’re proud to help We Energies, WPS and MGE deliver these solar, wind and battery storage projects and continue our record of investment in Wisconsin.
“These projects not only deliver needed energy — they invest directly in local communities with new, good-paying jobs and consistent revenue.”
Naples Airport completes solar installation on warehouse building
Naples Airport in southwestern Florida has completed a solar project on its newly built warehouse storage building, promising to enhance the airfield’s energy resiliency and bolster its commitment to sustainability.
Complete with 270 solar panels installed by Owen-Ames-Kimball and PayOli Solar, the fully operational asset is set to produce about 100 kWac per day, officials say. The Naples Airport Authority also approved an interconnection agreement for the project, partnering with Florida Power & Light as a self-generating utility customer.
“The cost savings by adding solar are substantial, but the environmental impacts are even greater,” says Chris Rozansky, executive director for the Naples Airport Authority. “Naples Airport has been ‘going green’ for many years, and this solar installation is yet another example of how an airport can be good stewards to the environment while simultaneously making sound financial decisions.”
Bright spot: The installation comes as part of a wider sustainability initiative by the airport, according to Naples Airport Authority officials. The airport has introduced alternative jet fuels and converted many of its ground vehicles to EVs in recent years, the company says. The airport also has further plans to construct a new water management system to conserve water for the Gordon River and Naples Bay.
“Partnering with Owen-Ames-Kimball on this landmark Naples Airport project highlights what can be achieved when construction and solar engineering align,” says Juan David Payares, founder and CEO of PayOli Energy. “Delivering high-capacity, reliable, clean energy to critical municipal infrastructure requires an uncompromising commitment to quality. This installation demonstrates how solar can enhance operational resiliency, protect vital assets and advance sustainability across Southwest Florida for decades to come.”
Hydrostor storage project inks offtake agreement with Californian aggregator
Long duration energy storage (LDES) developer and operator Hydrostor has announced that its Willow Rock Energy Storage Center has signed a 60 MW offtake agreement with the San Diego-based Clean Energy Alliance.
Onsite work has already begun on the project as of July 2026. Located in California’s Antelope Valley, the project is Hydrostor’s first utility-scale effort in the U.S., officials say, and will build off its already operational project in the company’s native Ontario, Canada.
“This agreement marks a key milestone for Willow Rock as we begin significant activity on the project site,” says Jordan Cole, Hydrostor’s chief commercial officer. “Hydrostor is thrilled to partner with CEA to ensure their customers have cost-effective and reliable storage as electricity demand continues to grow, and to assist in providing a resilient grid for California for decades to come.”
Bright spot: Hydrostor currently has a portfolio of about 7 GW of renewable energy projects in Canada, Australia, the U.S., and the United Kingdom. The CEA’s partnership with the firm “is another step forward” in its march toward zero-emission electricity, according to Greg Wade, the alliance’s CEO.
“Long-duration energy storage allows us to capture excess solar energy during peak production and discharge it when regional demand is highest, displacing fossil fuel generation and strengthening grid stability,” he says. “This innovative facility in Kern County will play a vital role in helping CEA meet both state reliability mandates and our customers’ growing energy needs with clean, dependable capacity.”
