Illinois Legislature Passes Bills To Encourage Solar Energy Use

The Illinois General Assembly recently passed two bills, now awaiting signature by Governor Quinn, that encourage the use of solar energy in Illinois:

HB6202 amends the Illinois Power Agency Act to provide annual targets to move towards the 6% solar requirement in the State's renewable portfolio standard, which was signed into law in 2007 and required that utilities in Illinois produce a certain percentage of their power from renewable sources, starting with 2% in 2008 and increasing to 25% by 2025.  Prior to HB6202, the 6% solar requirement came into effect in 2015.  The new law will require that utilities begin meeting their solar goals on an earlier schedule: 0.5% by June 1, 2012; 1.5% 12 by June 1, 2013; 3% by June 1, 2014; and 6% by June 1, 2015 and thereafter.

HB5429 creates the Homeowners' Solar Rights Act, which prohibits adoption of a bylaw or exercise of any power by a homeowners' association, common interest community association, or condominium unit owners' association that prohibits or has the effect of prohibiting the installation of a solar energy system.  A "solar energy system" is defined as "(1) a complete assembly, structure, or design of solar collector, or a solar storage mechanism, which uses solar energy for generating electricity or for heating or cooling gases, solids, liquids, or other materials; and (2) the design, materials, or elements of a system and its maintenance, operation, and labor components, and the necessary components, if any, of supplemental conventional energy systems designed or constructed to interface with a solar energy system."

Stay tuned to the Illinois Environmental Law Blog for more news and developments.

8/21/10 UPDATE: Governor Quinn signed the bills into law on August 17, 2010.  For more information, click here.