Nexamp and TurningPoint Energy have commissioned two community solar projects in Minonk, Illinois, on a reclaimed former coal mine in Woodford County. The two Minonk community solar projects have a combined capacity of 9.8 MW over approximately 40 acres, sending energy directly to the ComEd grid.
The projects are built over a former mine that extracted from the Colchester Coal Seam for around 75 years in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They are certified brownfield sites under the Illinois Shines program, which earns credits for returning previously disturbed land to productive use. They also represent the first solar energy development in the Illinois Shines community of Woodford County.
“The fact that we stand on this former coal site today and see it continue its role in powering our communities is a powerful symbol of Illinois’ energy future,” said Senator Chris Balkema. “This solar project for the Minonk community shows how we can build on our energy heritage while embracing new opportunities. I support a comprehensive energy strategy that includes coal, natural gas, nuclear, solar, wind and emerging technologies – because affordable, reliable energy is essential to lowering costs for families, attracting investment and supporting quality jobs here in Woodford County.”
The Minonk projects are among the first in the ComEd system to incorporate Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS), a smart grid technology that monitors and manages distributed energy resources in real time. By integrating DERMS into both community solar arrays, the projects will help ComEd balance loads more effectively, manage variability and allow clean energy to flow more smoothly across the grid, supporting reliability as Illinois continues to scale up renewable generation.
The two Minonk community solar projects are almost fully subscribed, with more than 650 unique participants demonstrating strong local and regional interest in shared renewable energy. One project serves approximately 450 residential customers, while the second includes approximately 200 low-income residential subscribers, expanding access to clean energy savings for historically underserved households. The projects also include two prominent institutional subscribers: Rush University Medical Center and the College of DuPage. Together, these two institutions are responsible for 40% of the total output of the combined projects, providing a stable foundation that allows for broader community participation.
Developed by TurningPoint Energy and built, owned and operated by Nexamp, these Minonk projects represent the first collaboration between the two companies in Illinois.
“This is exactly the kind of project we want to realize with our partners and customers,” said Zaid Ashai, CEO of Nexamp. “By converting a former coal mine into a pair of community solar farms, we are helping hundreds of subscribers today reduce their energy costs while strengthening their long-term energy security. By combining that affordability with U.S.-made equipment and advanced grid tools like DERMS, these Minonk projects not only put clean energy within reach for households and institutions, but also demonstrate how community solar can make the electric grid smarter, more resilient and better prepared for Illinois’ clean energy future.”
News item from Nexamp
