What a 60-Project Community Solar Deal in Illinois Tells Us About Scaling Clean Energy on Commercial Rooftops

The clean-energy playbook is getting a practical upgrade: take the rooftops that already exist, fill them with solar, and turn everyday commercial real estate into community power plants.

That’s exactly what’s happening in northern Illinois. Public Storage and Solar Landscape are teaming up on 60 rooftop community solar projects that will deliver 44 MW to the grid over the next two years—all inside ComEd territory. The utility expects to hit roughly 400 community solar installations by year-end, a pace that puts the region among the national leaders. State policies such as the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act and the Clean and Renewable Grid Affordability Act are helping clear the path.

Beyond the megawatts, the projects are projected to support about 300 construction jobs and come with intentional local workforce development. Partners including STEP-UP Solar, the Chicago Urban League, the Hispanic American Construction Industry Association (HACIA), YouthBuild Lake County, and other Illinois YouthBuild programs are preparing residents for careers in the growing industry—having already trained 139 people since 2024—with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers also playing a key role.

Public Storage, already running the largest solar program in its industry, plans to grow that footprint to 1,300 properties by the end of 2026. In short, a major property owner, a developer, and a utility are converting underused rooftops into scalable grid assets that also lower bills and create careers.

That combination of commercial-scale solar and deliberate workforce training feels familiar. At Accord we’ve long partnered with Solar One on community solar and workforce initiatives that open clean-energy pathways for New Yorkers, including NYCHA residents. Watching how Illinois is structuring the same dual impact—power on the roof and opportunity on the ground—gives us useful reference points as we keep refining what works in our denser, more complex market.

Kelly Pickerel’s full report in Solar Power World has the executive quotes, the deeper partner details, and the longer view. Worth the read.