In Chicago's neighborhoods, over 120 Trinity Services locations are now drawing power from five community solar farms—a partnership that will cut electricity costs for one of Illinois's largest disability service providers while generating clean energy for decades to come.
Trinity Services, which has served more than 6,800 adults and children with intellectual, developmental, and mental health needs since 1950, operates on tight margins where every dollar saved can be reinvested directly into the people it serves. That reality makes the announcement of this collaboration with Common Energy, a leading clean energy advisor, particularly significant. For the first time, the nonprofit will secure guaranteed energy savings across its residential units and community facilities through community solar—a model that requires no upfront costs to participate.
Under the agreement, Trinity's facilities will subscribe to the five solar projects across the greater Chicago area and receive monthly credits on their electricity bills. The residential units will pocket 20% of that credit value for the next two decades, a long-term financial cushion that Bob Taylor, the organization's CFO, described as money that "can go toward supporting the people who depend on us." That consistency matters in nonprofits, where predictable savings can mean the difference between expanding services and cutting them back.
The five projects together pack 16 megawatts of capacity and will generate approximately 20.7 million kilowatt hours of clean electricity annually. To put that in perspective: over the lifetime of these projects, they're expected to avoid more than 563 million pounds of carbon emissions—the equivalent of taking thousands of cars off the road for years. Community solar works by allowing residential, commercial, and nonprofit customers to subscribe to a local solar farm without installing panels themselves, then receive credits on their utility bills. It's a model designed to democratize renewable energy, letting people who can't install rooftop solar still benefit from clean power.
Richard Keiser, CEO of Common Energy, which manages over 950 megawatts of projects nationwide, underscored the dual benefit: "Savings generated by community solar can now be used to support and expand services to those with disabilities across Illinois." The projects operate in the ComEd service area and received backing from Commonwealth Edison, Energy Solutions, and the Illinois Power Agency's Illinois Shines Program.
For Trinity Services, the partnership is emblematic of how climate action and social mission can align. The organization already runs residential services, community day programs, employment services, a school, therapeutic horseback riding, respite care, and a recreation center. Every dollar saved on electricity is a dollar available for these vital programs. The partnership also reflects broader momentum toward making renewable energy accessible—not just to wealthy homeowners who can afford rooftop panels, but to nonprofits, low-income families, and entire communities.
What makes this moment noteworthy is not just the scale but the durability. A 20-year commitment to energy savings gives Trinity's leadership the certainty they need to plan programs and services. In a sector where instability often reigns, that predictability is as valuable as the money itself.