Warehouse rooftops in Illinois transformed into the state's biggest solar power network by Prologis.
Prologis Leads the Clean Energy Transition in Illinois with Community Solar Initiative
Illinois is witnessing a surge in its community solar market, thanks to the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) and the Future Energy Jobs Act. The latest addition to this growth is a significant 1.56-MW rooftop community solar project by Prologis and utility ComEd, making it the largest rooftop community solar portfolio in Northern Illinois [1][2][3].
The project, located atop a 195,000-square-foot Prologis logistics center in Franklin Park, will primarily serve residential subscribers. More than half of the generated power will be provided to income-qualified households through a subscription model, ensuring economic equity and expanded access to clean energy for underserved communities in the Chicago area [1][2].
Large rooftops, such as those in Prologis' logistics portfolio, can feed directly into the grid and serve hundreds of subscribers. Over the next two years, 45 Prologis rooftops will be fitted with solar arrays capable of generating 82 megawatts (MW) of clean energy [1][2][5].
Community solar flips the script on access, allowing customers to subscribe to a shared project and receive credits on their electricity bills for their share of the power generated. This initiative drives clean energy adoption, promotes economic inclusion by benefiting lower-income households, and exemplifies how logistics real estate can play a vital role in advancing distributed renewable energy infrastructure [1][2][5].
Prologis, a global leader in logistics real estate, has over 313 million square feet of sustainably certified space and over 900 MW of solar and storage either operational or in development. The Franklin Park launch is more than another ribbon-cutting for ESG leaders. Instead of leasing rooftops only to tenants, Prologis is turning them into local power plants [1][2].
The initiative has already facilitated 14 million electrified miles traveled by fleet customers. Prologis Park Tacoma is the world's first WELL Certified Logistics Real Estate Property. Illinois State Representative Norma Hernandez views this project as a model for equitable decarbonization, ensuring that working families can directly benefit from lower utility costs and a more resilient energy grid [1].
[1] Prologis. (n.d.). Prologis Launches Community Solar Initiative in Franklin Park, Illinois. Retrieved from https://www.prologis.com/news/prologis-launches-community-solar-initiative-franklin-park-illinois
[2] U.S. Department of Energy. (n.d.). Community Solar. Retrieved from https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/community-solar
[3] Illinois Power Agency. (n.d.). Illinois Community Solar Program. Retrieved from https://www.illinoispoweragency.org/programs/community-solar-program
[4] Prologis. (n.d.). Prologis Park Tacoma. Retrieved from https://www.prologis.com/locations/north-america/us/wa/tacoma/prologis-park-tacoma
[5] Prologis. (n.d.). Energy Solutions. Retrieved from https://www.prologis.com/sustainability/energy-solutions
Science and technology are instrumental in the development of the community solar project in Illinois, as Prologis combines environmental-science principles with innovative solar technologies to create a sustainable power solution. The success of this clean energy initiative is expected to attract investments from the finance sector, further accelerating the transition to a renewable energy economy.
