Springfield, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – The Springfield City Council Monday approved of two agreements that could lead to City Water, Light, and Power purchasing more solar power, from a yet-to-be-constructed solar farm near Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport.

They commit the city to purchasing $2.3 million worth of energy from the farm per year over the next 20 years — about 20 megawatts per year.

“They’re accessing a substation.  They’re accessing a 138kV substation,” said Doug Brown, Chief Utilities Engineer, CWLP.  “It’s a matter of land.  I think they’re talking about 1,200 acres.  It’s a massive amount of land that you have to have to develop these bigger wind farms.”

The city rushed to get the details together in order for the developer to try and get federal tax credits that will soon end, as part of President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

“Tax incentives are going away (at the federal level),” said Brown.  “Solar and wind are going to be more problematic going forward for awhile, until something changes again.”

Those speaking to the council about the matter applaud the city, saying more needs to be done long term.

“Moving away from fossil fuels is critical, and this [Purchase Power Agreement] is a significant first step in moving to additional clean energy sources that are free of these emissions,” said Bob Croteau, representing Sustainable Springfield and the Faith Coalition for the Common Good.  “I suggest that we continue to build on this project with additional solar and wind contracts.”

This latest move with Lincoln Capital Land LLC comes after aldermen in June approved a similar deal with Sangamon Solar LLC to purchase solar collected by their grid to be built near Chatham.

Residents last night urged the city and CWLP to consider purchase battery backup systems for when solar farms don’t collect enough sun, like on cloudy days.  Brown said the utility isn’t to that point yet, as many such systems are cost prohibitive.