Renewable Energy Strategies and Solutions (RESS) is an MWBE renewable energy company focused on empowering communities through workforce development and project development. RESS works with community stakeholders to train a pipeline of workers for the growing renewable energy industry to develop a pathway from training to a career path. By developing projects, RESS understands the skills required for the marketplace and hence develop programs suitable for the trainees. RESS has twenty years of broad experience in Community and Stakeholder Engagement, Strategic Planning, Business Development, Energy Assessment, Engineering, Project Development and Management, Financial Analysis, and Workforce Development. This enables RESS to create value for their customers.

548 Development is a MWBE certified full-service development and construction company working exclusively with contractors within a community to ensure a long-term return on investment in the area. This allows 548 Development to have a multi-faceted impact on the communities that they invest in — delivering renewable energy technology to communities that have been historically left out of this advancement and empowering minority business owners to grow alongside their community.

Centrica Business Solutions delivers integrated energy solutions for businesses and other large energy users, combining distributed energy technologies and a variety of commercial options to improve performance and cost management, drive decarbonization, strengthen resilience, and create opportunities for growth. At Centrica Business Solutions, every solar installation is customized to their customer’s business needs – optimizing the return on their investment. They have extensive experience in designing and engineering custom solar solutions that maximize energy production and deliver savings. Centrica’s knowledgeable experts have an accomplished track record in the industry. Their expertise in solar and the wider energy market – combined with their scale and financial strength – provide bankable solar solutions.

EnPower Solutions bring long-term quality and operational focus to commercial solar projects. EnPower partners with K-12 school systems, colleges, municipalities, and healthcare facilities for solar and energy storage power purchase agreements and strives to reduce utility costs and carbon footprint. The EnPower team was founded by utility-scale solar experts to bring high-standards of engineering design, equipment selection, and construction directly to institutions who shape and support local communities. In addition to their solar and energy storage projects, they aim to become community stewards and provide additional enrichment, contracting, and learning opportunities for students and local labor contractors. EnPower believes in local power for the local good.

MWBE

VLV Development is a full-service development company serving most of the US and Puerto Rico. VLV builds, owns, operates, and finances clean energy infrastructure assets. They create jobs and advocate for market-driven solutions to climate change. VLV has successfully financed and developed 1.5 MWs of solar on behalf of, utilities, colleges, churches and housing portfolio owners. VLV recently completed the 1.1 MW PV Solar component for the Bronzeville Community Microgrid, a project that tests the concept of the Nation’s first Utility operated microgrid clusters, or a ‘grid of microgrids’. VLV also owns and operates a portfolio of clean energy projects in the City of Chicago. VLV is invested in designing solutions that work in Chicago and the State of Illinois. The team is comprised of native Chicagoans, Blacks, Latinos, veterans and other diverse experts. VLV considers themselves equal parts thought leader and developer, distilling their vision into tangible economic benefits for themselves and their clients.

Since 2012, GRNE Solar has established roots throughout the Midwest and have developed teams to operate in two very different areas – commercial and residential. Headquartered in Illinois, their full-service solar installation team includes consultants, engineers, project managers, electricians, and solar installers. Collectively, they have over two decades of renewable energy and green construction experience. Throughout their eight years of solar installation, they have generated over 12 GWh of power.

CC Solar was founded by Mr. Martel Richardson a graduate from ComEd Construct Program. Mr. Richardson also founded Clean Community, a non-profit organization focused on improving health, environmental conditions, education, and law enforcement relations in local communities.  Under the guidance of the Clean Community Board of Directors, the CC Solar team aims to become the preferred company for rooftop/ground solar installations for the residents and businesses of the State of Illinois. Alongside other ComEd Construct Program graduates, Mr. Richardson has built an experienced team of professionals eager to bring the benefits of solar power to local communities in the greater Chicago area.

Constellation, an Exelon company, is a competitive energy company providing power, natural gas, renewable energy, and energy management products and serves homes and businesses across the continental United States. They provide integrated energy solutions – from electricity and natural gas procurement and renewable energy supply to energy efficiency and distributed energy solutions – that help customers strategically buy, manage and use energy. Over the last decade, Constellation has served more than 125 customers across the U.S. with over 425 MW of behind-the-meter, customized solar solutions in operation or under development. Constellation offers expertise throughout the entire spectrum of solar project development, construction and ownership. Constellation has experience in solar markets, relationships with qualified EPCs and maintenance partners, and access to their fleets operating data and maintenance history, allowing for continual improvement and optimization of solar projects.

RPG Energy Group comes from a diverse and experienced background within the renewables and construction industry with over 100 years of combined design team and construction experience. We strive to educate our partners and clients on how they can efficiently reduce their electricity spend through clean distributed generation technologies. RPG Energy Group offers a full turn-key solution from schematic design and engineering through final construction and system monitoring. Please reach out today to hear about our experience in the North East, North West, Cook County, and East Central regions of Illinois, as well as our current projects located within the ComEd and Ameren utility territories.

StraightUp Solar was founded in 2006 and since then has installed more than 1,300 residential and commercial solar projects in Illinois and Missouri. StraightUp Solar is a full service, turn-key solar EPC installation company with a straightforward project management approach ready to see projects from initial concept to commissioning and operational support. StraightUp Solar became Certified as a Benefit Corporation (B Corp) in 2015. Certified B Corporations focus on people and planet before profit. They are committed to high standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. StraightUp Solar is an Illinois DG Certified company and meets all qualifications for qualified workforce within the Illinois Power Authority definitions.