Cook County up for $1.1 million from Energy Department to boost local solar industry
Cook County has been selected for $1.1 million of potential funding by the U.S. Department of Energy for a project that would aim to expand the local solar energy industry, the department announced Tuesday.
The funding, which will not be officially awarded until a negotiation process is complete, is part of President Joe Biden's larger goal of reaching a 100% clean electricity grid by 2035. Twelve other recipients in the program include industry partners, tribal organizations, unions and community colleges.
With the grant, Cook County will establish the Chicagoland Solar Collaborative or CSC, a partnership between local governments and solar businesses to "convene, align and leverage the diverse stakeholders in the solar installation and workforce ecosystems in Cook County," according to a county statement.
The project will have three overall goals: establishing the sector partnership, expanding the number and capacity of local solar businesses and improving training pipelines.
A key directive highlighted in both the Department of Energy's grant program and the Cook County project is to support minority workers and small business owners.
"The state of Illinois passed the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act in 2021, which represents the nation's most equitable and comprehensive climate action legislation," according to the statement. "In this context, the CSC recognizes the need to bring stakeholders together to ensure that the Chicago region has the workforce in place to take advantage of resources available to meet the nation's clean energy goals, and to ensure access to this growing industry for the BIPOC communities that have historically been left behind."
Amid the broader national objective, Illinois has its own goals: reaching 40% renewable energy by 2030 and 100% clean energy by 2050. As of 2021, the state is generating just 11% renewable electricity, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
"(The Department of Energy) expects that the industry will need to grow to between 500,000 and 1,500,000 workers by 2035 to achieve the Biden-Harris Administration's decarbonization goals," according to a department press release. "These jobs should be accessible to workers from all backgrounds, provide competitive wages and benefits, and offer opportunities for union membership."
Nationwide, the solar industry represents more than 330,000 employees and has added 17,200 new jobs in 2021 - an increase of 5.2% - according to the 2022 U.S. Energy and Employment Report.
While the report also found the industry is more diverse than some other energy industries, "the overall energy workforce lags" in Hispanic, Black and Indigenous representation, each comprising 17%, 8% and 1% of the workforce, respectively.
According to the same report, Illinois had 6,087 solar workers in 2021. The overall energy sector in Illinois represents 5.1% of total state employment, though from 2020 to 2021, energy jobs in the state increased 26 jobs, effectively 0%.
"With solar power potentially contributing up to one-third of the U.S. electricity supply, there is a need for more equity and inclusivity in the industry," according to the department's statement. "The Advancing Equity through Workforce Partnerships Funding Program selections announced today will directly address the need for diversity and inclusion. "
• Jenny Whidden is a climate change and environment writer working with the Daily Herald through a partnership with Report For America supported by The Nature Conservancy. To help support her work with a tax-deductible donation, see dailyherald.com/rfa.