Nautilus Solar Energy Inaugurates 7 MW Highway 20 Community Solar Farm In Hampshire, Illinois, Powering 600 Low-Income Subscribers And Local Partners

Nautilus Solar Energy, one of the leading community solar companies in the United States, has officially inaugurated its new 7-megawatt (MW) community solar project in Hampshire, Illinois. The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the “Highway 20 Community Solar Farm” took place on October 14, marking another major step in Illinois’ clean energy transition. The Highway 20 Community Solar Farm will deliver affordable and renewable electricity to around 600 low-income subscribers, along with the Glenview Park District and CSL Behring.

The facility consists of more than 12,000 solar panels spread across 26 acres and is expected to generate approximately 10.7 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of clean energy each year. This output will help prevent more than 9,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually, contributing to Illinois’ broader climate and sustainability goals. The project also supported local job creation during its development, providing employment opportunities in construction, engineering, and electrical work for workers in the Hampshire region.

Jeffrey Cheng, Chief Executive Officer of Nautilus Solar Energy, expressed pride in the project’s completion and emphasized its importance to both the company and the state. “Nautilus recently relocated our headquarters to Chicago, and the opening of the Highway 20 Community Solar Farm reflects our strong commitment to Illinois and its clean energy future,” he said. “Illinois is positioned to become one of Nautilus’s fastest-growing markets, with this project marking the beginning of our 200+ MW multi-year investment across the state.”

Bruce Heyman, Chief Executive Officer of Power Sustainable and former U.S. Ambassador to Canada, highlighted the strategic significance of the company’s Midwest expansion. Power Sustainable provides the equity capital backing Nautilus’s projects. “Illinois, and the Midwest more broadly, represent a vital region for Nautilus’s growth in community solar,” said Heyman. “We are proud that Nautilus has expanded to over 500 MW of operational capacity across 153 projects in 12 states, serving more than 45,000 subscribers nationwide. This new milestone in Illinois reinforces our shared mission to advance accessible and sustainable clean energy.”

Looking ahead, Nautilus plans to add over 100 MW of additional community solar capacity in Illinois over the next year, with continued project development expected through 2027 and beyond. These investments will not only help reduce energy costs for thousands of Illinois residents but will also strengthen local economies, enhance grid resilience, and further support the state’s renewable energy and decarbonization objectives.