January 22, 2025
Sol systems is transforming a historic 1,050-acre underground mine site in Randolph County, Illinois, through the construction of a $345 million solar project. The company announced the financial close of the 182 MW project on January 22.
The system, called the Tilden Solar Project, will produce enough renewable energy to power about 33,800 homes in Illinois annually. It illustrates the ongoing energy transition by redeveloping a carbon-intensive mining site into a renewable energy source that will generate community and ecosystem benefits for decades to come.
The Tilden project highlights Sol Systems’ unique approach to clean energy development, which goes beyond the megawatt to deliver long-term community benefits, ecosystem protection and economic opportunity. The successful financial closure of the project was made possible through key collaborations with ING, Churchill Stateside Group, Qcells, NextrackerAnd McCarthy Building Cos.demonstrating the value of bringing together financial expertise, domestic manufacturing and innovative construction practices to achieve impact-driven clean energy solutions.
“This project represents what Sol Systems is all about: bringing sustainable energy solutions to the most challenging and impactful locations,” said Yuri Horwitz, CEO of Sol Systems. “By working with trusted partners like ING, Churchill, Qcells, Nextracker and McCarthy, we can not only deliver clean energy, but also invest in American manufacturing, protect ecosystems and support local communities. The Tilden project is a blueprint for how we believe clean energy development should happen.”
Transforming mines into renewable energy sources
An 840,000-acre swath of underground mines runs through southern Illinois, challenging surface land development across the state. Using this limited land, Sol Systems pioneered a unique approach to renewable energy development. Historic mining activities have contributed to economic development in the area for decades. When these mines closed in the 1990s, the operations depleted the area’s resources, no longer contributed to tax revenues, and in some cases prohibited surface infrastructure development, impacting local communities for generations community.
Sol Systems worked with mining and reclamation experts to overcome the challenges associated with underground mining operations and burdened surface rights. The team successfully worked with Nextracker on a safe and effective tracker and foundation design for the site, securing 147 surface clearances from unique entities, demonstrating the complexity of the project and Sol Systems’ commitment to tireless problem solving.
The financing for this project reflects a strong partnership with financial institutions that share Sol Systems’ vision of impact-driven investments that support local communities.
“Tilden Solar is ING’s third consecutive financing with Sol Systems,” said Matthew Rosetti, head of sectors for ING in the Americas. “The confidence we have in the execution capabilities of this management team has enabled us to guarantee 100% of the project’s financing needs.”
Strengthening domestic supply chains
The Tilden project also underlines Sol Systems’ commitment to domestic supply chains, with Qcells providing US-manufactured solar panels and Nextracker US-manufactured racking systems. The project reflects Sol Systems’ alignment with federal policy initiatives to advance domestic materials in renewable energy development.
“The Tilden project highlights the importance of using domestically produced modules to meet the nation’s clean energy goals, while also delivering economic benefits to American workers,” said IP Kim, president of Qcells GES.
Nextracker founder and CEO Dan Shugar added: “Together we are working to deliver best-in-class tracker and foundation solutions, purpose-built to meet the project’s unique geotechnical and sustainability requirements, both above and below ground, with utilizing the best of American innovation.”
The Tilden project is a hallmark of Sol Systems’ Infrastructure + Impact approach, which emphasizes delivering sustainable community impact alongside clean energy deployment. In addition to millions of dollars in estimated tax revenues, the project will leverage at least two decades of continued investments in local workforce development, community partnerships and environmental stewardship initiatives to ensure the benefits of clean energy extend beyond the project itself. In addition, the Tilden Solar project will create approximately 300 construction jobs, the majority of which will be local workers working with regional unions, including carpenters, operators and electricians.
“Building this project on an underground mine requires innovation, precision and dedication to doing things safely,” said Andy Poirot, VP of Tilden Solar project construction for McCarthylding Companies, the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor. project. “We are proud to be working with Sol Systems to bring the Tilden project to life. This is a great example of how sustainable energy projects can create new opportunities within our sector and for the communities where projects are built, while preserving the environment for future generations.”
Sol Systems also works with conservation partners to implement ecosystem restoration initiatives, including efforts to promote and conserve native species and pollinator habitat on site. These initiatives further demonstrate Sol Systems’ focus on environmental management as a core component of project development.
Tags: Sol Systems, utility scale
