Illinois Power Agency

The IPA is pleased to welcome James Rouland as the new Chief of the Planning and Procurement Bureau. In this role, Jim will be responsible for overseeing the development, approval, and implementation of various procurement plans, managing IPA’s solar incentive programs, and working with Program Administrators.    Jim joins the IPA with over 19 years of comprehensive experience in the energy sector, both in regulated and deregulated markets, with deep expertise in wholesale and retail energy procurement, renewable energy development, transmission and distribution rates, tariff development, and customer programs. A seasoned energy professional, Jim will play a pivotal role in the Agency’s vital work on electricity procurement and development, as well as its implementation of renewable energy programs and procurements to support the clean energy future of Illinois.     The Agency is pleased to welcome Jim to the team!     #WelcomeToTheTeam #Planning #Procurement  

The IPA is committed to consumer protection and works diligently to ensure positive experiences for Illinois residents and businesses interested in going solar. As part of that commitment, the Agency and Program Administrators are requesting stakeholder feedback on detailed proposals for three new consumer protection initiatives: an Escrow Process, a Stranded Customer REC Adder, and a Restitution Program. ▪ A new Escrow Process will be used when necessary to ensure that customers who have been promised a portion of the Renewable Energy Credit (REC) incentive payment do in fact receive that promised payment through utilization of an escrow agent as a payee. ▪ The Stranded Customer REC Adder creates an economic incentive for Approved Vendors to take on customers who have been stranded by the original solar company. ▪ The Restitution Program will provide compensation to customers harmed through their participation in Illinois Shines and Illinois Solar for All. #ConsumerProtection #Escrow #RECAdder #Restitution #StakeholderFeedback #IllinoisShines #ILSFA

The Illinois Power Agency had a fantastic time at the third annual IPA Summer Fest event! Agency staff had a chance to unwind outdoors and enjoy a day filled with exciting activities, delicious food, and great company. Thanks to the hard work of the IPA Hospitality team, this Summer Fest had an amazing lineup including games, music, and plenty of surprises to make this an unforgettable day. The Agency thanks the Hospitality Team for coordinating the Summer Fest and looks forward to future staff events! #IPASummerFest #staffevents #workparty

The IPA’s Illinois Solar for All (ISLFA) solar incentive program is on social media! Check out the new ILSFA LinkedIn page to learn more about how ILSFA is helping Illinois makes the switch to solar.

On September 19, the IPA hosted its fourth and final session of IPA Summer School: a virtual lunch and learn series for legislators and legislative staff. The fourth session, titled, ‘IPA’s Clean Energy Dashboard & Progress Toward State Clean Energy Goals’ explored visualizations from the Agency’s new Clean Energy Dashboard website, a tool designed to showcase the overall progress of renewable energy development in the state. This content was presented by IPA staff, Megha Hamal and Abigail Ramirez, who have been leading the project. The Dashboard website will be launched on October 2. Running from July through September, this four-part webinar series is designed to introduce legislators, staffers, and government leaders to the IPA, its solar incentive programs, and its progress toward achieving clean energy and equity goals. With more than 100 attendees over the course of the series, the IPA Summer School Lunch and Learn series provided key information to legislators, legislative staff, and other government leaders across each of the four sessions.     Recordings and presentation slides for all four sessions can be found on the IPA Summer School website:  https://lnkd.in/gRjTaf_H   https://lnkd.in/gK6BDHY9 #IPASummerSchool #CleanEnergyDashboard #solarincentives #EnergyEquity

Happy to share that I'll be speaking about Illinois Solar for All's approach to community education using Grassroots Educators in the SETO Award-Winning Best Practices for Inclusive Solar Communications Webinar on September 24. Please join us!

On August 30, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced $25.5 million in a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Equitable Energy Future Grant Program. The Equitable Energy Future Grant Program provides front-loaded funding to support development of energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, businesses, community organizations, and job creation benefitting historically disadvantaged populations. To help applicants prepare to apply for funding, DCEO will be holding a technical assistance webinar from 12:00-1:00 p.m. on September 19. To register for the webinar, or to view and apply for the grant, please visit the Equitable Energy Future Grant Program webpage: https://lnkd.in/gHq824Wu Applications will be accepted until December 31, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. #DCEO #funding #grant #EnergyEquity #webinar

On September 16, Emma Sperry joined the IPA as Associate Legal Counsel for Consumer Protection. Emma joins the Consumer Protection team within the Legal Bureau. In this role, she will work on a variety of consumer protection issues for the IPA’s solar incentive programs, including the development and implementation of new consumer protection initiatives that were approved as part of the 2024 Long-Term Plan. With prior experience at the Idaho Conservation League and a clerkship at the U.S. District Court in New Mexico, Emma’s knowledge and skills will serve her well in this role. The Agency is pleased to welcome Emma to the team! #WelcomeToTheTeam #ConsumerProtection #legal

On September 19, the IPA will host its fourth and final session of IPA Summer School: a virtual lunch and learn series for legislators and legislative staff. The fourth session, titled, ‘IPA’s Clean Energy Dashboard & Progress Toward State Clean Energy Goals’ will explore visualizations from the Agency’s new Clean Energy Dashboard website, a tool designed to showcase the overall progress of renewable energy development in the state. Highlighted visualizations from the incoming Clean Energy Dashboard website will explore Illinois’ evolution in electricity generation, from traditional to renewable energy, compared to its Midwest counterparts. Additionally, visualizations will offer a view of the overall growth of renewable energy in Illinois with a focus on equity, bolstering public understanding of how the IPA’s renewable energy programs and competitive procurements support that growth. Running from July through September, this four-part webinar series is designed to introduce legislators, staffers, and government leaders to the IPA, its solar incentive programs, and its progress toward achieving clean energy and equity goals. To register for the webinar, please email IPA Legislative Affairs Manager Whitney Paige Richardson at whitney.richardson@illinois.gov. #IPASummerSchool #CleanEnergyDashboard #EnergyEquity

From September 15 to October 15, the Illinois Power Agency proudly celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month. The contributions of Hispanic leaders in the energy sector embody this year’s theme, “Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together.” The IPA will continue to celebrate the culture and heritage of the Hispanic and Latino communities as the Agency helps to shape Illinois’ clean energy future. #HispanicHeritageMonth #IllinoisShines #DataAnalytics #IllinoisSolarforAll #ShapingTheFuture