As we enter into the 2024-2025 SREC Program year, we would like to inform you of some important items to remember:

• 2024-2025 REC Price Chart:
  The ABP has released the following 2024-2025 Rec Price Chart, which goes into effect beginning June 01, 2024:

  Distributed Generation
  	Group A	Group B
  0 – 10 kW AC	$73.71	$83.87
  >10 – 25 kW AC	$63.53	$77.53
  >25 – 100 kW AC	$55.89	$70.23
  >100 – 200 kW AC	$53.63	$63.34
  200 – 500 kW AC	$46.58	$54.60
  >500 – 2,000 kW AC	$43.77	$49.49
  >2,000 – 5,000 kW AC	$33.03	$37.05

  Community-Driven Community Solar
  	Group A	Group B
  0 – 25 kW AC	$73.82	$91.47
  >25 – 100 kW AC	$75.40	$92.92
  >100 – 200 kW AC	$73.28	$89.36
  >200 – 500 kW AC	$67.73	$82.24
  >500 – 2,000 kW AC	$57.93	$68.95
  >2,000 – 5,000 kW AC	$41.94	$49.79

  Traditional Community Solar
  	Group A	Group B
  0 – 25 kW AC	$57.49	$70.91
  >25 – 100 kW AC	$58.84	$72.15
  >100 – 200 kW AC	$57.50	$69.58
  >200 – 500 kW AC	$53.46	$64.20
  >500 – 2,000 kW AC	$46.02	$54.24
  >2,000 – 5,000 kW AC	$33.99	$39.98

  Public Schools
  	Group A	Group B
  0 – 25 kW AC	$77.17	$93.17
  >25 – 100 kW AC	$68.57	$84.96
  >100 – 200 kW AC	$65.81	$76.91
  >200 – 500 kW AC	$57.72	$66.88
  >500 – 2,000 kW AC	$54.51	$61.04
  >2,000 – 5,000 kW AC	$42.15	$46.74

• UPDATED Fees for program participation are listed below:
  • $20/KW AC Application Fee
  • 5% Assurance Collateral Deposit Required for Project Batching
  • 5% Collateral Reserve is withheld from payout distribution with potential for return upon successful program completion.
  • Approved Vendor management fee withheld from payout distribution according to project size and whether the project is subject to prevailing wage:
  Illinois ABP Contract Between REC Owner & Enertech Global LLC for Distributed Generation Systems Section 1.05 (b) Management Fees:

  (i) Management Fees are assessed for the Services provided by virtue of the System's Nameplate

  Capacity (AC rating), according to the following "Adjustable Block Program Fee Schedule":

  1. Systems subject to the payment of prevailing wages as defined in Section 2.0l{b)(i) will be assessed a management fee based on the following schedule:
  1. Systems 7kW AC and below. Total Management Fee of seventeen percent (17%).
  2. Systems above 7kW AC up to 25kW AC. Total Management Fee of fourteen percent (14%).
  3. Systems above 25kW AC up to 100kW AC. Total Management Fee of eleven percent (11%).
  4. Systems above 100kW AC. Total Management Fee will be negotiated based on the project's size.
  2. Systems exempt from the payment of prevailing wages as defined in Section 2.0l{b)(i) will be assessed a management fee based on the following schedule:
  1. Systems 7kW AC and below. Total Management Fee of fifteen percent (15%).
  2. Systems above 7kW AC up to 25kW AC. Total Management Fee of twelve percent (12%).
  3. Systems above 25kW AC up to 100kW AC. Total Management Fee of nine percent (9%).
  4. Systems above 100kW AC. Total Management Fee will be negotiated based on the project's size.
  
  
• Internet Requirement:

  Portions of two sections of your Illinois ABP Contract Between REC Owner & Enertech Global LLC for Distributed Generation Systems that are referenced below, require a connection for production reporting.

  Section 2.01(b)(iv) The REC Owner will be required to ensure that its system is utilizing a Data Acquisition System that is able to Auto Report to PJM-EIS GATS tracking registry. Data Acquisition Systems for systems over 10kW AC will be required to be Revenue Quality (+/-2% accuracy) while systems under 10kW AC can be standard grade (+-5% accuracy). Enertech reserves the right to disqualify any system Application that does not have an Auto Reporting monitoring solution. The REC Owner shall ensure that such system is fully operational for the duration of this agreement.

  Section 3.01(h) In addition to applicable Meter requirements, REC Owner will be required to maintain an internet enabled, data acquisition system ("DAS)" in order to automatically report monthly kilowatt hour generation figures. The DAS will need to be enabled and kept in good working condition for the life of the agreement.

  Take-away: Failure to report production results in drawdowns against your collateral and possible default of the contract that will result in the payback of all unproduced RECs. We do not want to see this happen. If you have connectivity issues, we will work with you and your installer to provide an adequate solution such as cell cards, modem kits, or a proper connection to your internet service.

• Drawdowns:

  A “Drawdown” is the right of the Buyer (contracting utility) under the REC Contract to withdraw a portion of the collateral, as a result of underperformance under the REC Contract. Details of the Program’s process for Drawdown evaluation can be found in the ABP Program Guidebook.

  Note that Section 1.03 of the Illinois ABP Contract Between REC Owner & Enertech Global LLC for Distributed Generation Systems details the Performance Assurance collected and replenishment of Performance Assurance balances through “Performance Calls” when Drawdowns are identified by the Program.

  Take-away: Project owners will be required to compensate for lack of production when the three-year production average is reviewed, if the system’s production is insufficient. This compensation will be deducted from either the assurance deposit collateral or require the project owner to remit funds to Enertech upon notification of production deficiency.

• Inverter/Meter requirements:

  Registry	System Size	Accuracy	New vs. Refurbished	Meter vs. Inverter
  GATS and M-RETS	>=25kW	ANSI C.12 revenue grade	New only	Meter or inverter with integrated ANSI C.12 production meter (must be UL-certified with digital or web-based output display)
  	>10kW and <25kW	ANSI C.12 revenue grade	Refurbished ok	Meter or inverter with integrated ANSI C.12 production meter (must be UL-certified with digital or web-based output display)
  	<=10kW	+/-5%	Refurbished ok	Inverter ok (must be UL-certified with digital or web-based output display)

  Take-away: Systems that are above 10kW AC require that the meter/string inverter listed on the application must be ANSI C12.20 Compliant and be a Revenue Grade Meter (Egauge).

• Security Agreement Addendum:

  As a condition to providing the services outlined in this Agreement, Enertech will require the REC Owner to enter into the Security Agreement Addendum to this Agreement. Pursuant to the Security Agreement Addendum, the REC Owner shall grant to Enertech a security interest in all system solar equipment (the "Collateral") comprising REC Owner's System. In the event Enertech requires a Performance Call from the REC Owner and the REC Owner is unable to meet its obligation in the required time frame, Enertech reserves the right to take all action to collect the additional Performance Assurance required in the Performance Call including, but not limited to, foreclosing on the Collateral and taking all actions of a secured creditor permitted under applicable law. Terms and Conditions relating to the Collateral are contained in the Security Agreement Addendum and are incorporated by reference herein.

  Take-away: Upon submitting part 1 information and documentation for the project’s application, the project owner must execute a notarized Security Agreement Addendum. The Security Agreement Addendum document will be filed upon interconnection and application approval with the county recorder respective to the project installation location.

• Net meter waiver requirement:

  Section 16-107.5 of the Public Utilities Act sets out net metering requirements for regulated electric utilities (i.e., ComEd, Ameren, and MidAmerican) and for Alternative Retail Electric Suppliers. Section 16-107.5 does not set out requirements for municipal electric utilities or rural electric cooperatives. The provision in the Consumer Protection Handbook prohibiting Approved Vendors and Designees from offering projects that cannot net meter is intended to restrict companies from offering distributed generation projects that cannot take advantage of either the net metering benefits set out in Section 5/16-107.5 or a substantially comparable crediting approach.

  Therefore, the waiver process and Customer Acknowledgment Form is required if the customer’s project is not eligible to receive credits for electricity that the project sends to the grid pursuant to a crediting approach substantially comparable to the net metering approaches provided by a regulated electric utility under Section 16-107.5 of the Public Utilities Act.

  Take-Away: Illinois Shines has developed a form that an Approved Vendor or Designee must provide to the customer for signature if the Approved Vendor or Designee is offering a distributed generation project that cannot take advantage of net metering. ***Note that both the project’s Certificate of Completion and Net Metering Approval are required for Part 2 project submission***

• Designee Renewal:

  Section 2.G of the Program Guidebook states that “Designees must renew their registration once a year. As part of this process, Designees will submit their training materials and certifications showing that their agents have been trained in accordance with Program requirements.” Examples of applicable training materials include PowerPoints, handouts, and other resources shared with Designee agents for Program-related training. Enertech will send out a reminder of the date of the renewal deadline once the date is announced by the ABP.

• Minimum Equity Standards “MES”:

  Beginning in Program Year 2023-2024, which started June 1, 2023, the ABP rolled out the Equity Accountability System plan which stated that in order to meet the Minimum Equity Standards requirements, that vendors and installers must have at least 10% of their project workforce to be comprised of Equity Eligible Persons (EEP). This includes an objective that by 2030, at least 30% of the project workforce for each entity participating will be comprised of EEPs. The qualifying EEPs consist of the following:

  • Graduates or current or former participants in the Clean Jobs Workforce Network Program, Clean Energy Contractor Incubator Program, Illinois Climate Works Pre-apprentice Program, Returning Residents Clean Jobs Training Program, or the Clean Energy Primes Contractor Accelerator Program, and the solar training pipeline and multicultural jobs program created by FEJA
  • Persons who are graduates of or currently enrolled in the foster care system
  • Persons who were formerly incarcerated
  • Persons whose primary residence is in an equity eligible investment community

  The MES Year End Report is now open via https://forms.office.com/r/FM6YbtEFWd

  The MES Year-End Report is intended for your organization to document how it implemented and achieved compliance with the Minimum Equity Standard. Per the Program Administrator, Failure to submit an MES Year-End Report by the July 15, 2024 deadline will result in escalation to the Program Administrator’s Consumer Protection Team consistent with Sections X.C-D of the Consumer Protection Handbook. Failure to comply may risk future good standing in the Program and may result in disciplinary action.

• Installer Contract After Disclosure:

  Per the ABP Guidelines, the Installer Contract (Contract between the project owner and the installer) must be signed AFTER the disclosure form is signed. Both the contract and the Disclosure Form can be signed the same day, but the Disclosure Form must be signed before contract.

• Reminder of Part 2 Needed Items:
  • Certificate of Completion- Document from the interconnection utility authorizing the energization of your project
  • Net Metering Approval- OR Net Meter Waiver if your interconnecting utility does not provide net metering 1:1
  • Image of the Installed Modules
  • Image of the Inverter Label/Nameplate (unless micro-inverters)
  • Image of the project’s Egauge- if the project is an expansion or above 10kW AC
  • Installer Contract
  • Installer Invoice
  • Demographic Information Form for the Installation
  • Confirmation of what was installed
  • The Approved Vendor will obtain a Lifetime Production Screenshot from the online production dashboard. As stated above, it is important that the project has an internet connection to enable production reporting.
  • Certified Transcripts of Payroll
  • If subject to Prevailing Wage, transcript entries should align with the Demographic Information.
  • Installer must register with the Illinois Department of Labor and report hours via the required Certified Transcript of Payroll Form by emailing dol.certifiedpayroll@illinois.gov.
• ***Please remember that we are unable to submit a project for final submission until we have all needed items. Delays in Part 2 submission and Project approval can lead to needed extensions that can become costly to the project owner***.


• Force Majeure/Act of God Event:

  Portions of your Illinois ABP Contract Between REC Owner & Enertech Global LLC for Distributed Generation Systems that are referenced below, describe the project owner’s obligations, in such event that the system becomes damaged or adversely affected as such:

  Section 6.02 (d) “Force Majeure” means an event or circumstance which materially adversely affects the ability of a Party to perform its obligations under this Agreement, which event or circumstance was not reasonably anticipated as of the date such Transaction was entered into and which is not within the reasonable control of, or the result of the negligence of, the Claiming Party, and which the Claiming Party is unable to overcome or avoid or cause to be avoided, by the exercise of due diligence. Force Majeure includes acts of God (such as tornadoes, fires, earthquakes and floods), pandemics as declared by the WHO, explosions, war, hostilities, riots and acts or threats of terrorism (any such event, an “External Event”) that disrupt the development of the Designated System if such Designated System is not Energized or the operation of the Designated System if such Designated System is Energized.

  Section 6.02 (a) If either Party is rendered unable, wholly or in part, by Force Majeure to carry out its obligations with respect to this Agreement, that upon such Party's (the "Claiming Party") giving notice and full particulars of such Force Majeure as soon as reasonably possible after the occurrence of the cause relied upon, confirmed in writing, then the obligations of the Claiming Party will, to the extent it is affected by such Force Majeure, be suspended during the continuance of said inability, but for no longer period, and the Claiming Party will not be in breach hereof or liable to the other Party for, or on account of, any loss, damage, injury or expense resulting from, or arising out of such event of Force Majeure during such Suspension Period. The Party receiving such notice of Force Majeure will have until the end of the fifth (5th) Business Day following such receipt to notify the Claiming Party that it objects to or disputes the existence of Force Majeure. If REC Owner is the Claiming Party, then the approval of the request shall require the consensus among Enertech, the IPA and Buyer.

  (b) After the Delivery Term Start Date, in no event shall a claim of Force Majeure or a Force Majeure Event operate to extend the Delivery Term such that the Term extends beyond the Delivery Term set forth in the REC PSA.

  (c) If Force Majeure adversely affects the ability of REC Owner to produce RECs from a Designated System and the Suspension Period arising from such event lasts for a consecutive period of seven hundred thirty (730) days, then Enertech shall exclude the Designated System from this Agreement and if payments have been made to REC Owner with respect to the Designated System, REC Owner shall return the amount of payment based on the applicable Contract Price and on the difference between the number of RECs used to calculate payment and the number of RECs Delivered from such Designated System.

  Take-Away: If the project is impacted by damaging weather conditions/Force Majeure event, the project owner is required to report the incident and repair/restore the project to active status as soon as possible! Suspensions may be requested, however will be reviewed depending on the situation and are temporary only, as the project owner is accountable for their system to continue to produce recs according to the assigned contract.

• Some additional reminders:
  • Disclosure Form Calculations are an ESTIMATE only, Design changes will impact the calculations and numbers entered on the disclosure form application!
  • If submitting a project for ABP approval prior to installation design changes can negatively impact the site owner as they will always receive the LESSER amount of Part 1 or Part 2.
  • Non-residential projects are subject to the Prevailing Wage requirements set forth by the Department of Labor.
  • An email address is required for application submissions and may not be the installer’s email. If the project owner does not have an email address, the program has a form you may submit to request a waiver. This email should preferably be a personal email, as the ABP and Enertech as your Approved Vendor, will need to be in contact over the 15-year contract obligation.

We would like to thank each of our installers for partnering with us and working through all the program changes. Please let us know if you have any questions.

The Enertech SREC Team