Utility-scale project roundup: Texas joint ventures, Illinois commercial BESS, and cranberry bog agrivoltaics

This week's energy news is mostly about large, utility-scale projects rather than anything homeowners can tap into directly, but a few items are worth knowing about if you live in these states.

In Illinois, a 200-megawatt solar project in Perry County has signed long-term contracts to sell power to Ameren Illinois and ComEd, among others, meaning it will eventually feed electricity into the grid that serves homes across the state. It's expected to start construction in 2027 and begin operating in 2028, generating enough power for about 37,000 households. Separately, ComEd is testing a battery storage system built with a local manufacturer in La Fox. For business or industrial property owners in ComEd territory, the utility's existing rebate program still offers up to $300 per kilowatt-hour for installed battery storage, part of the state's push to use local battery storage to ease strain on the grid during peak demand.

In South Carolina, a developer closed $815 million in financing for five large solar farms, which will bring tax revenue to host counties but doesn't come with a homeowner incentive attached.

In Massachusetts, two solar farms built over cranberry bogs in Plymouth and Kingston have completed their first harvests, combining crop growing with solar power and battery storage. These feed into community solar programs under the state's SMART program, which lets residents buy into local renewable energy projects even if they can't install panels on their own roof.

Texas and Ohio also saw a large solar portfolio expansion, but that deal is aimed at commercial power buyers, not homeowners.