New energy storage system tied to Prairie Street Brewing Co. will play key role in state’s energy future

By Kevin Haas
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A new battery-energy storage system in downtown will hold power generated by solar panels at Prairie Street Brewing Co. and its surrounding buildings for use when the sun isn’t shining.

The system is also expected to play a key role in how ComEd rolls out future energy resource management systems with private business partners.

The power company held a news conference at Prairie Street on Friday with the Illinois Commerce Commission and Region 1 Planning Council to tout the commissioning of the new storage system, which is a few blocks away from the brewery along Madison Street in downtown.

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The battery storage project is funded by a $3.2 million U.S. Department of Energy grant and $3.3 million from ComEd and its partners.

“It will help the brewery maximize the potential of its solar power and it will help ComEd learn about how best to match battery storage with distributed energy resources like solar in our region, especially the context of small businesses,” said Gil Quiniones, president and CEO of ComEd. “Exploratory pilot projects like this one are crucial to ensuring the grid is fully prepared to support large-scale solar and battery energy storage solutions that are key to the clean energy future in northern Illinois.”

The system is tied to panels that were already installed at the brewery. Prairie Street initially added solar panels about four years ago, and more were added on nearby buildings and parking structures as recently as this summer.

The storage system itself looks like little more than a green box from the outside, but such units will be a critical part to the state’s future, said Doug Scott, the former Rockford mayor who is now chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission.

“Storage is really a key to the future of how we’re going to get clean energy in the state and in the country,” Scott said. “We’re harnessing clean energy, but clean energy that isn’t produced all the time … so having storage systems set up to be able to keep that energy and then be able to use it when the sun isn’t shining and the wind isn’t blowing — that’s critical.”

Data gathered from the new storage system will be studied to make future solar and battery energy storage solutions.

It also ties into the state’s Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, which calls for 100% clean energy sources by 2050.

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The solar panels, which are owned by the Koch family, are on top of Prairie Street Brewing as well as the adjacent former Cellusuede building, and the former Coca-Cola bottling plant and parking pavilion across the street.

“Prairie Street Brewing Co. and the Koch Family are excited at the opportunity to partner with ComEd on this solar and energy storage project. We installed our solar panels in 2020 and have seen great benefits for our power usage,” the family said in a statement. “We hope that this project helps encourage other northern Illinois businesses to explore their own solar installations which can benefit their bottom line while simultaneously supporting their communities.”

ComEd’s announcement on Friday comes about six weeks after announcing a  $116 million initiative over the next five years to strengthen the city’s power grid, prepare workers for clean-energy careers and expand the use of solar power and energy storage.

It’s another way the Rockford region is preparing for economic development tied to sustainable energy, including through transportation and mobility infrastructure, said Mike Dunn Jr., executive director of Region 1.

“Regardless of the politics of the day, good or bad, mobility will continue being electrified,” Dunn said. “Our economic development future here in this region is embracing that. Maybe not right away, but in the next 20 or 30 years, how are we going to support the mobility of people and goods and how are we prepared for a green energy future.”

This article is by Kevin Haas. Email him at khaas@rockrivercurrent.com or follow him on X at @KevinMHaas or Instagram @thekevinhaas and Threads @thekevinhaas