Transitioning to and Equitable Deployment of Renewable Energy – Making Renewable Energy Innovations Affordable in Illinois

• Illinois welcomes renewable energy innovations and their equitable deployments;
• Illinois provides progressive incentives for enabling and making renewable energy innovations affordable for all, via its Flagship Programs;
• The AOO Sustainable Group, Inc, is an Approved Vendor / Equity Eligible Contractor in the Flagship Programs – thus is eligible for certain incentives and leverages same for making renewable energy affordable for all – we welcome opportunities to collaborate in equitably deploying and making renewable energy innovations affordable for all in Illinois.

The Challenge

Climate Action – Climate Change – Global Warming!

 Part Solution

Quest for Net Zero 2050 – United Nations Climate Action – Decarbonization – Transition to Renewable Energy – Worldwide De-carbonization via clean-renewable energy innovations and deployments.

 Status

At best, dire – according to actions taken or not on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal #13 (SDG #13) – “take urgent action to combat climate change and its impact.”

 Our Part

In Illinois, to, over time, equitably deploy and accelerate the transition to renewable energy innovations – for all – even in Disadvantaged and Underserved Communities. Specifically:

1. Community-benefitting deployments – equitable deployments of renewable energy innovations and their associated meaningful benefits (Community Solar | State, Local, and Tribal Governments | NREL ) in Disadvantaged and Underserved Communities – with the benefits accruing to the residents and or critical community assets, (CCAs) – civic, community, educational institutions, including non-profit organizations and municipal facilities;
2. Irrespective of their circumstances, everyone should benefit from renewable energy innovations – this is the driving force behind the company – an Approved Vendor / Equity Eligible Contractor in both Illinois Solar for All (ILSFA) and Illinois Shines, legislatively known as the Adjustable Block Program, which supports the development of on-site solar (Distributed Generation) as well as Community Solar projects, and
3. There are tremendous opportunities for Distributed Generation and Community Solar, including adaptive reuse of Brownfield sites (contaminated sites) for renewable energy in Illinois – and Illinois has progressively enacted favorable renewable energy legislations (incentives – from FEJA to CEJA and now CRGA) while looking to do more! Illinois is one of the top renewable energy-generating states in the country.

Our approach is through community-focused collaborations – for effective project identification /siting, effective community engagement, and effective marketing / outreach. Specifically:

1. Collaborations with established renewable energy development and engineering, procurement & construction (EPC) companies; 
2. Collaborations with national/international firms seeking renewable energy deployment opportunities in Illinois;
3. Collaborations with established or emerging community development-oriented marketing & research companies;
4. Collaborations with state-sponsored job training organizations for workforce development; 
5. Collaborations with local government and non-profit community organizations in host communities (project sites) – planning and delivering the meaningful benefits of renewable energy, and
6. Collaborations with local intermediaries in creating opportunities for minority, women, and veteran business enterprises (MWVBEs) in the host communities.

Collaboration Opportunities

Taking Action – Focusing on Equity