Tilden Solar Project
Details & Benefits
Project Details
Proposed Size
150 megawatts (MW)
Location
Randolph County, Illinois; the power will be transmitted by the Prest 138kV Line (Ameren)
Land Area
Project footprint of approximately 1200 acres of land to locate solar panel arrays, an operations and maintenance building, inverters, and access roads
Local Estimated Revenue
An estimated $19 million in local tax revenue over the project's lifetime
Power Generation
Clean energy for the average electricity consumption of approximately 28,000 Illinois homes
Project Lifespan
The project is designed to have a 35-year useful life and will be decommissioned in accordance with its prescribed dismantling plan
Tilden Solar Project Timeline
2021
Land Acquisition and Preliminary Environmental Work
2022
Local Agreements, Engineering and Permitting
2022/2023
Final Approvals
2023
Begin Construction
2024
Operational
Tilden Solar Project Benefits
Project Benefits
Economic Benefits
The Tilden Solar Project represents a major investment that will generate jobs, tax revenue and other economic activity which includes:
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Over 300 temporary full-time construction jobs
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2 full-time operations jobs, plus 2 part-time jobs
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Over $25 million to Randolph County’s GDP during construction, and $556,000 annually during each year of operation
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$19 million of local tax revenue, which includes an estimated $363,000 annually to local schools, over the life of the project
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Millions of dollars in landowner payments over the life of the project, money that is recirculated locally
Source: Study conducted by David Loomis, Professor of Economics at Illinois State University, and prepared by Strategic Economic Research, LLC.
Quiet Neighbor
Operating solar fields are quiet business neighbors that have minimal impact on the surrounding area:
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No proven health or safety risks
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No sound outside the fence line
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No odor or emissions
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No tall towers or equipment; solar panels typically sit 12 feet maximum height
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No increase in local traffic
Environmental Attributes
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Use of the sun’s rays to generate renewable energy
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Emissions-free power generation
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Aids utilities in meeting Illinois’ renewables portfolio standard, which requires 25% of electrical sales to come from renewable sources by 2025
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Land under solar panels is rested for future agricultural use