Nautilus Solar Energy, a leading community solar company in the United States, has officially launched its new 7-megawatt community solar project in Hampshire, Illinois. The “Highway 20 Community Solar Farm” was inaugurated on October 14, marking a significant step in Illinois’ transition to clean energy. The project will provide affordable and renewable electricity to approximately 600 low-income subscribers, as well as the Glenview Park District and CSL Behring.
The facility consists of over 12,000 solar panels spread across 26 acres and is expected to generate around 10.7 million kilowatt-hours of clean energy annually. This will help prevent more than 9,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year, contributing to Illinois’ climate and sustainability goals. The project also created local job opportunities during its development, employing workers in construction, engineering, and electrical work.
Jeffrey Cheng, CEO of Nautilus Solar Energy, expressed pride in the project’s completion, emphasizing its importance to both the company and the state. He noted that Illinois is positioned to become one of Nautilus’s fastest-growing markets, with this project marking the beginning of a 200+ megawatt multi-year investment across the state. Bruce Heyman, CEO of Power Sustainable, highlighted the strategic significance of the company’s Midwest expansion, stating that Illinois and the Midwest represent a vital region for Nautilus’s growth in community solar.
Nautilus plans to add over 100 megawatts of additional community solar capacity in Illinois over the next year, with continued project development expected through 2027 and beyond. These investments will help reduce energy costs for thousands of Illinois residents, strengthen local economies, enhance grid resilience, and support the state’s renewable energy and decarbonization objectives. The company has already expanded to over 500 megawatts of operational capacity across 153 projects in 12 states, serving more than 45,000 subscribers nationwide. The launch of the Highway 20 Community Solar Farm reinforces Nautilus’s commitment to advancing accessible and sustainable clean energy.