On October 29th, the Illinois House of Representatives passed a bill that will facilitate the construction of a 3 GW large-scale battery energy storage facility in the state, according to WAND. By incentivizing new energy storage construction and VPP programs, the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act aims to help the unstable grid better cope with the surge in demand brought about by new data centers and increased electrification.

The bill will also require utility companies to establish peak and off-peak electricity pricing policies, encouraging homeowners to reduce their demand on the power grid during peak hours by utilizing solar energy combined with energy storage technology, according to the Illinois State Senate News.

"We applaud the Illinois House of Representatives for passing the Clean Reliable Grid Affordable Act and look forward to the Senate discussing the bill before the veto session concludes," the Illinois Solar Energy Association stated in a press release. "This vote demonstrates that Illinois recognizes the importance of embracing solar energy, energy storage, and virtual power plants. Not only will the CRGA reduce energy costs in Illinois, but it will also ensure that Illinois' clean energy industry is protected from the recently passed federal policies that are threatening millions of jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity nationwide."