Energy

Creates the Advanced Technology Leadership Act. Sets forth findings. Defines terms. Sets forth provisions concerning the qualification of credits under the Act. Provides that, beginning calendar year 2027, each covered data center shall self-generate or procure and then retire eligible energy attribute certificates equal to the certain percentages of the covered data center's annual State electricity consumption. Provides that a covered data center's compliance requirement shall be otherwise met by retirements of eligible energy attribute certificates produced by eligible energy facilities that are physically interconnected and located in the applicable grid region. Requires a covered data center to retire eligible energy attribute certificates that are matched on an hourly basis to the certain percentages of the covered data center's total State electricity consumption for the following compliance years. Provides that covered data centers shall account for and comply with the Act exclusively through the retirement of eligible energy attribute certificates. Requires the Illinois Power Agency to, on an ongoing basis, identify facilities that meet the definition of covered data center. Provides that the Agency shall strive to minimize administrative expenses in the implementation and regulation of activities related to the Act. Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. In provisions establishing greenhouse gas emission reduction deadlines and requirements for electric generating units and large greenhouse gas-emitting units that use gas as a fuel, that are not public GHG-emitting units, and that are located within a specified distance of an equity investment eligible community, specifies that the equity investment eligible community must have been designated by the Restore, Reinvest, and Renew Program Board as of January 11, 2024 and must be located in an R3 Area established under the Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act.

Amends the Procurement Code. Requires bidders that respond to solicitations issued on or after January 1, 2027 for master contracts for the purchase of vehicles to submit an Illinois Jobs Plan that meets certain requirements. Amends the Electric Vehicle Rebate Act. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2027, changes electric vehicle rebates and requires Illinois residency and changes the luxury and low efficiency vehicle fee. Amends the Toll Highway Act. Requires the Toll Highway Authority to build at least 4 150 kW fast charging ports by 2027, expand to 8 ports by 2029 and 16 ports by 2031. Amends the Vehicle Code. Requires the Illinois Commerce Commission to establish biennial reporting for large fleets beginning in 2027. Amends the Electric Vehicle Charging Act. Provides that units of local government may grant exceptions if utility upgrades would materially increase construction costs, but EV capable spaces cannot fall below certain levels. Provides that Tenants and condominium owners may install Level 1, Low Power Level 2, or Level 2 charging systems at their own expense, subject to reasonable restrictions. Amends the State Mandates Act. Provides that State mandates created by the amendatory Act requires no reimbursement to units of local governments. Amends the Retailer Occupation Tax Act, the Service Use Tax Act, the Service Occupation Tax Act, and the Retailers' Occupation Tax Act to make other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Energy Transition Act. Provides that the Clean Jobs Workforce Hubs Network shall incorporate targeted outreach, recruitment, training, and placement services specifically for participants seeking careers within the climate, environmental, and clean energy sector. Defines "climate, environmental, and clean energy sector". Provides that the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall collect, track, and report certain information concerning the Clean Jobs Workforce Network Program. Provides that the information shall be disaggregated by race, gender, geography, and equity status.

Creates the Data Center Heating and Cooling Act. Defines "air to water heat exchanger" and "data center". Provides that any new or existing data center in the State shall adopt a heat energy reuse plan that involves the use of an air to water heat exchanger to help heat homes and businesses in the area around the data center. Provides that any data center constructed on or after the effective date of the Act that has an aggregate demand load of 20 megawatts or more shall have a liquid cooling system, such as direct-to-chip cooling or immersion cooling, incorporated into the data center. Effective January 1, 2027.

Creates the Solar Energy Reliability and Affordability Checkoff Program Act. Sets forth findings. Defines terms. Creates the Solar Energy Reliability and Affordability Fund. Provides that the Fund may receive deposits of moneys collected by the Department of Agriculture under provisions of the Act concerning the collection of solar energy fees. Creates the Solar Energy Reliability and Affordability Board appointed by the Governor to administer and manage the Fund. Sets forth membership requirements of the Board. Provides that the Board shall ensure that assessments collected under the Act are used for the creation and publication of research, communication, marketing, and education programs that promote accurate information related to, emphasize the clean energy benefits and affordability of, and promote the adoption of solar energy systems and energy storage systems, which may include the funding of third-party organizations for these purposes and any related activities to carry out the programs as proposed by the Board. Requires each owner, operator, or developer of a solar energy system to pay a $5 per kilowatt-hour assessment on all solar energy systems sold for installation within the State to the Department of Agriculture. Provides that assessments are payable directly to the Board and shall be paid when a commercial renewable energy facility owner enters into an agricultural impact mitigation agreement as required under the Renewable Energy Facilities Agricultural Impact Mitigation Act. Requires the Board to publish an annual financial and activities report. Amends the State Finance Act to create the Solar Energy Reliability and Affordability Fund as a special fund in the State treasury. Effective immediately.

Amends the Public Utilities Act. In provisions concerning nondiscrimination, provides that the Commission is authorized to approve a low-income discount rate for residential electric and natural gas customers that applies to the entirety of a qualifying customer's bill, including, but not limited to, a qualifying customer's delivery service charges and energy supply charges. Provides that an electric or natural gas utility may fund low-income discount rates through a surcharge on customers' electric and natural gas bills. Provides that the changes to the Act apply retroactively on and after January 1, 2023. Amends the Energy Assistance Act. In provisions concerning eligibility under the Act, provides that, in setting the annual eligibility level for the use of State funds from the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund, the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall consider the amount of available funding and may not set a limit higher than 300% of the federal nonfarm poverty level. In provisions concerning the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund, provides that the yearly administrative expenses of the Fund may not exceed 15% (rather than 13%) of the amount collected during that year, except when unspent funds from the Fund are reallocated from a previous year. Provides that any unspent balance of the 15% administrative allowance may be utilized for administrative expenses in the year they are reallocated. Provides that, of the 15% administrative allowance, no less than 9% (rather than 8%) shall be provided to Local Administrative Agencies for administrative expenses. Provides that, beginning January 1, 2027, the Base Energy Assistance Charge shall be $0.80 per month for each utility that is required by the Illinois Commerce Commission to implement a low-income discount rate and shall be $0.40 per month for each utility that is not required to implement a low-income discount rate and that contributes to the Supplemental Low-Income Energy Assistance Fund. Makes other changes.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act. In a provision establishing greenhouse gas emission controls, authorizes an electric generating unit or large GHG-emitting unit to continue operating if an emergency, pre-emergency, or conservative operations situation exists. Provides that no variance, adjusted standard, or other regulatory relief that is otherwise available under the Act may be granted from the Act's greenhouse gas emission controls if battery storage resources constitute at least 10% of the total State-installed generation capacity. Provides that, if battery storage resources constitute less than 10% of the total State-installed generation capacity at any time after the effective date of the amendatory Act, the Environmental Protection Agency shall delay enforcement of certain greenhouse gas emission controls. Directs the Environmental Protection Agency to adopt rules to implement these requirements. Defines "battery storage resource" and "total State-installed generation capacity". Makes other changes. Effective immediately.

Amends the Illinois Power Agency Act. In provisions concerning colocation of photovoltaic community renewable generation projects, changes references from "community renewable generation project" to "photovoltaic community renewable generation project" and "community solar projects" to "photovoltaic community renewable generation projects". Requires a project labor agreement for the new construction of certain facilities related to community-driven community solar projects. In a provision applying prevailing wage requirements to facilities for which a renewable energy credit delivery contract is signed, removes an exception for multi-family residential buildings with aggregate geothermal system tonnage, including colocated projects, of no more than 29 tons. Amends the Energy Transition Act. Provides that the Department of Corrections and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity shall jointly develop activities to support the recruitment of eligible candidates to the Illinois Climate Works Preapprenticeship Program. Provides that the activities shall include coordinating on sharing with community-based providers the contact information of persons preparing to be released into the community, including names, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses, if the person preparing to be released consents to the person's contact information being shared. Makes other changes.

Amends the Environmental Protection Act, Energy Efficient Building Act, Illinois Power Agency Act, Public Utilities Act, and related statutes to establish comprehensive environmental, water, and energy regulations for hyperscale data centers. In the Environmental Protection Act, requires cumulative impact assessments, public notice, and community benefits agreements for data centers; prohibits nondisclosure agreements; and creates the Data Center Community Intervenor Compensation Fund and Hyperscale Data Center Public Benefits and Affordability Fund funded by annual fees based on peak demand. Mandates water resource planning, quarterly water usage reporting, water scarcity plans, and Water Impact Permits with public hearings and renewal every 5 years. Requires compliance with stringent energy codes and annual energy and water reporting to the Illinois Commerce Commission. Expands renewable energy procurement programs, establishes a hyperscale data center self-direct program, and strengthens equity, transparency, and labor standards in clean energy initiatives. Creates the Residential Automated Solar Permitting Platform Act to require municipalities and counties to adopt a residential automated solar permitting platform on or before July 1, 2027, and authorizes persons to file a civil action against a municipality or county in violation.