Case Study

Plastics Manufacturing Facility – Batavia, IL

1630 kW
System Size
$175,000/yr
Annual Savings
15%
Energy Offset
$4.3M
25-Year Savings

The Situation

A Batavia, Illinois plastics manufacturer with over 400,000 sq ft of roof space was paying high six figures annually to ComEd. Significant federal tax liability from manufacturing operations and a recently re-roofed structure made them a prime ESP model candidate. They engaged Commercial-Solar.org in mid-2020 following a financial advisor referral.

Our Approach

Solar One Illinois designed a 1.63 MW rooftop system using 3,920 panels across south- and west-facing roof sections. The interconnection request required a pre-application conference with ComEd and a six-week study. The project was financed using the federal ITC and Illinois Smart Inverter Rebate with no capital expenditure under the ESP model. Physical installation took four weeks with a 12-person crew.

The Outcome

Permission to Operate was issued in June 2021. Annual electricity savings of $175,000 against an ESP payment of $122,000 produce $53,000 net annual benefit from day one. At the 7-year payoff, the manufacturer owns the system outright and retains full savings. Total 25-year projected savings exceed $4.3 million.

Client name changed for privacy. Results vary. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.

Questions About This Project

What size facility needs a 1.63 MW solar system?
A 1.63 MW solar system requires approximately 160,000-180,000 sq ft of usable roof area. This manufacturer had roughly 400,000 sq ft total, with 165,000 sq ft of south- and west-facing sections used for the array. Not all roof space is usable: HVAC equipment, penetrations, skylights, and parapet shading reduce effective solar area.
How does the Illinois Smart Inverter Rebate work?
The ComEd Smart Inverter Rebate provides $250 per kW for systems with smart inverters up to 2,000 kW. For this 1.63 MW system, the rebate represented approximately $408,000 in additional project value, paid by ComEd roughly 60 days after commissioning.
How did the manufacturer qualify for the ESP model without upfront cash?
The ESP model requires federal tax liability, not cash. This manufacturer's annual federal tax payments exceeded $400,000. The 30% ITC ($840,000) and first-year MACRS depreciation on the $2.8M system created the financial basis for zero-upfront-cost financing under the ESP structure.

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