The solar energy industry continues to advance, with leading countries like the United States and China setting the tone for the rest of the world to follow
Nautilus Solar Energy has commenced commercial operation of a 6.7-megawatt community solar facility in the Village of Cornell, Illinois. Connected to the ComEd utility grid, the newly operational installation delivers locally generated clean power and provides electricity cost reductions to 570 additional customers across the region.
The developer plans to commission three additional solar installations across Illinois during September, adding 13 megawatts of capacity. Combined with the Cornell facility, the four developments will bring an estimated 20 megawatts of renewable power online and lower utility expenses for over 1,500 new residential and commercial subscribers.
According to Daniela Pangalo, senior director of partner development at Nautilus, the expansion reflects the company's focus on Illinois as a priority target market to help residents counter rising energy expenditures.
The addition expands Illinois' existing solar footprint, which currently exceeds 6,500 megawatts of total operational capacity split between utility-scale installations and distributed arrays. State clean energy programs and multi-billion-dollar investments continue to support thousands of local solar jobs and hundreds of active solar businesses, with multi-gigawatt development pipelines currently planned.
Established in 2006, Nautilus operates as a end-to-end community solar developer, handling project financing, construction, long-term maintenance, and customer management throughout asset lifespans. The company is backed by Power Sustainable, an alternative asset management platform owned by Power Corporation of Canada, and currently serves more than 65,000 commercial and residential clients.
Originally reported by Energies Media on Sep 14, 2026.
