Community solar project gets go-ahead

Jennifer Bailey, Commercial-News, Danville, Ill.
Updated ·2 min read

Apr. 16—DANVILLE — TotalEnergies Distributed Generation USA, LLC hopes to offer subscriptions to community members to its solar energy system as early as mid-2026.

The Danville City Council Tuesday night approved amending the City of Danville's zoning ordinance and map and a special use permit requested by the City of Danville to allow for the use of a site for a large-scale ground solar energy system in the AG-Agriculture Zoning District.

The vacant land is the former H&L Landfill site.

Future land use map designation: recreation/open space. "Developed and undeveloped lands that are reserved for or have been made available for use by all or a significant portion of the community's residents. This would include all parklands, playgrounds and other recreation areas as well as private open space such as golf courses. This category would also include environmentally sensitive areas and areas where development is infeasible due to the presence of natural or manmade constraints," according to the city petition.

In December, the council approved authorizing execution of a memorandum of understanding for solar development on the H&L Landfill with TotalEnergies Distributed Generation USA, LLC. Preliminary expected system: Up to 15 MWdc of ground mounted solar photovoltaic generation.

Danville Community Development Administrator Logan Cronk said uses are limited for the site. The solar energy system won't disrupt the cap on the landfill on the approximately 60-acre site.

The company will pay rent to the city, to be determined, and property taxes. The city also won't have to mow the site.

There will be subscriptions offered to local Ameren customers and residents and those in this area, including potentially the city too as a subscriber, with the clean energy generated, procured on the site, to receive credit on utility/electrical bills.

There will be a 10 percent savings potentially on electric bills, with the subscription, the company said.

The solar modules usually last for approximately 35 years. At the end of the lease, the solar modules are removed and the site restored.

Construction could start at the end of 2025, with operation of clean energy by the middle of 2026.

Based on the size of the solar energy system, it could power about 2,700 homes' electrical usage on an annual basis.

The company has worked with Urbana too on a landfill site community solar energy project. They are on second phase for another project at the same landfill complex.