A new behind-the-meter solar installation at Hillcrest Baptist Church in Country Club Hills, Illinois — a suburb south of Chicago — is now providing clean, locally generated energy through the Illinois Solar For All program thanks to a partnership between Hillcrest Baptist Church, Sunlight General Capital, My Community Plan Foundation, and Groundswell.
Behind-the-meter solar projects through Groundswell are situated on the host site's property and directly reduce the host site's electricity bills. At Hillcrest Baptist Church, this project helps the church save on energy costs through clean, reliable energy. The Rev. Dr. Adron Robinson has led Hillcrest Baptist Church since 2009 as its senior pastor.
As part of the Illinois Solar for All program, this solar installation brings the benefits of solar to those who need it most. ILSFA provides greater access to the clean energy economy for income-eligible communities through incentives that help make solar installations more affordable and result in measurable savings for participants.
This behind-the-meter solar project will provide approximately 63 MWh of energy annually, reducing the church's electricity supply costs by an estimated 65 percent. This savings will further aid the church in its ministries in the southern suburb of Chicago where it is located.
Construction of this behind-the-meter solar project was completed in 2023 and was financed by Sunlight General Capital, a woman-owned business. Supreme Solutions, a Black-owned business, oversaw the engineering, procurement, and construction for this project with the installation completed by Rethink Electric. Under the leadership of its executive director, Rev. Mitchell Johnson, My Community Plan Foundation has made it possible for this project to encourage, empower, and engage with Hillcrest Baptist Church and to achieve a more sustainable community in Country Club Hills, Illinois.