Prologis joined ComEd on Wednesday to launch the first of 45 solar installations the global logistics firm is developing across Illinois over the next two years.
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Prologis launched its first community solar project in Franklin Park, a rooftop installation atop a 195K SF logistics center. The developer will own and operate the nearly 1.6-megawatt solar project, which will serve mostly residential customers, with the remaining community solar credits benefiting local businesses.
In total, the portfolio of solar installations is expected to generate 82 MW of solar energy. On average, a single megawatt of energy powers about 172 homes in Illinois, according to data from the Solar Energy Industries Association.
Prologis is building dozens of rooftop community solar projects in northern Illinois, including several in the Chicago area. SunVest Solar, a national developer and independent power producer, designed the Franklin Park 3 rooftop solar installation.
“Illinois is one of the fastest-growing solar markets in the country, and we’re excited to help lead its momentum,” Prologis Chief Operating Officer Carter Andrus said in a press release.
Prologis has deployed nearly 800 MW of solar panels and storage and is on track to reach its goal of 1 gigawatt by the end of 2025, it said in the release.
The average commercial building can reduce energy bills by 30% to 50% with the installation of solar panels. Businesses that invest in solar see an average payback period of three to seven years, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association.
More than half of the energy credits will be directed to income-qualified households.
The Prologis rooftop solar sites are intended to help northern Illinois customers lower their energy costs through renewable energy connected to the grid, ComEd President and CEO Gil Quiniones said in the release.
“By leveraging underutilized industrial rooftops, we’re not only expanding access to clean, renewable energy — we’re ensuring that working families in our communities can directly benefit from lower utility costs and a more resilient energy grid,” state Rep. Norma Hernandez said in the release.
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