Illinois has approved a new law to add 3 GW of grid-scale battery storage by 2030 while expanding solar, VPP, and community and rooftop solar
Utilities in Illinois will pay households and businesses to let their solar panels, batteries, EVs, and smart devices help balance the electricity grid under the new CRGA
California is pushing plug-and-play 'balcony solar' systems for renters and apartment residents, drawing on models already used in Utah and Germany
Democratic Party–governed US states are introducing new laws to expand solar power, battery storage, and flexible grid technologies. While Illinois is promoting solar and storage, California is eyeing the rental population for plug-and-play systems.
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has signed the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA), paving the way for the state to deploy 3 GW of grid-scale battery storage by 2030. It will also boost solar and virtual power plants (VPP) in the state.
Under the act, utilities will be required to create VPP programs that pay homes and businesses for letting their smart devices – like solar panels, batteries, EVs, and smart thermostats – help supply or save electricity.
It increases the maximum size of community solar projects to 10 MW and establishes a Solar Bill of Rights that allows municipal and cooperative utilities to install rooftop solar panels. The Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) will be able to expedite renewable energy projects before federal tax credits expire.
The state expects the CRGA to lower monthly utility bills and save consumers $13.4 billion over the next 20 years.
“Under this law, we'll end price gouging by private grid owners and begin to bring down costs here in Illinois, starting with people’s utility bill,” said Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton. “Energy prices will come down without sacrificing our other priorities — Illinois will continue to be a leader in renewable energy and grid reliability.”
The CRGA builds upon the Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA) and the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA). It has installed over 6 GW of renewable energy since the passage of CEJA, while an additional 6 GW is currently under development in the state.
The state has also lifted the moratorium on new, large nuclear reactors to promote new, carbon-free energy resources.
Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has welcomed the development. SEIA President and CEO Abigail Ross Hopper said, “This landmark law is a model for how states can secure their energy future and lower costs for families and small businesses. A 21st-century economy requires a 21st-century grid, and solar, storage, and Virtual Power Plants are made for this moment.”
Sarah Cottrell, SVP of State affairs at American Clean Power Association (ACP), added that this act will improve reliability and create clean-energy and manufacturing jobs in the state.
Efforts to boost clean energy are also ongoing in another Democratic Party-governed state, California. Senator Scott Wiener of San Francisco has introduced the Clean Homes and Energy Affordability Package (CHEAP). It comprises SB 868, The Plug And Play Solar Act, to promote the use of small-scale mobile solar systems – also called balcony solar – that can lower energy costs for renters, apartment dwellers and homeowners. California has around 14 million rental units, making it a ready market for such installations.
Electricity generated by plug-and-play systems can be used directly to power refrigerators, air conditioners, or other home appliances, reducing grid load.
California aims to follow in the footsteps of the Utah market, which passed a law enabling the use of these systems, said Wiener.
Balcony solar is a tried-and-tested concept in Germany, where over a million systems have already been installed. In 2025, the country registered 500 MW of plug-and-play capacity, representing 3.2% of the total solar capacity installed last year (see Germany’s Official Solar Additions Fall Slightly In 2025 To 16.4 GW).
