{"id":107511,"date":"2024-09-26T14:15:48","date_gmt":"2024-09-26T18:15:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/\/?p=107511"},"modified":"2024-09-26T14:15:48","modified_gmt":"2024-09-26T18:15:48","slug":"illinois-democrats-energy-storage-bill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/\/2024\/09\/illinois-democrats-energy-storage-bill\/","title":{"rendered":"Illinois democrats introduce bill to set new 8.5-GW energy storage goal"},"content":{"rendered":"
Three years after the landmark Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) was signed into law, Illinois state lawmakers and solar energy industry leaders are recognizing the legislation\u2019s accomplishments and building on its foundation to make its goals a reality.<\/p>\n
CEJA, signed by Gov. JB Pritzker on September 15, 2021, launched Illinois on a path to 100% renewable energy by 2050 and sparked exponential growth in the solar energy industry through forward-looking programs that are equitably expanding clean energy access in Illinois, building family-supporting careers and investing in the economy.<\/p>\n
\u201cCEJA made an important promise to democratize energy production and equitably spread the benefits of clean energy,\u201d said Sen. Bill Cunningham (D-Chicago), a chief CEJA sponsor. \u201cWe have made tremendous progress, but any large-scale bill such as CEJA will naturally need some fine-tuning to ensure it delivers on its promises. We now find ourselves at that moment to make small but important changes that will guarantee CEJA\u2019s goals are fulfilled.\u201d<\/p>\n
With clean energy generators being built at record rates, clean energy storage has surfaced as a clear need in Illinois, as energy needs continue to increase due to growing residential demand, the scheduled retirement of fossil fuel plants and investments in Illinois from energy-hungry industries such as data centers, AI and quantum computing. To stay on track with CEJA\u2019s goals and maintain its status as a national leader in energy, Illinois must quickly build at least 8.5 GW of clean energy storage to avoid an energy capacity shortfall beginning in the 2030s, according to a recent study by Mark Pruitt, former director of the Illinois Power Agency.<\/p>\n