Gov. Pat Quinn, D-Ill., has announced the approval of a $4 million stimulus grant award for the Rockford Solar Project, which is expected to total up to 62 MW in capacity. It will be the largest PV project in the Midwest, according to project partners.
The project is being developed in Rockford, Ill., by Rockford Solar Partners LLC, a joint venture between Elgin, Ill.-based Wanxiang America and Chicago-based renewable energy developer New Generation Power. It will source solar modules locally from Wanxiang's manufacturing plant, which recently opened in the Rockford Global Trade Park.
In March, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity initially awarded a grant of $4,025,000 to Rockford Solar Partners, equivalent to 1.26% of the project's total cost. A total of 68% of project costs will be financed by nongovernmental sources. The federal funding was awarded pursuant to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Community Renewable Energy Program.
SOURCE: Office Of Gov. Pat Quinn
