The Eldorado Solar Project, a 342 MW utility-scale photovoltaic installation in Saline County, southeast Illinois, achieved commercial operation in September 2025 and stands as the largest solar energy facility developed to date by Sol Systems. Eldorado also achieved a milestone in U.S. solar deployment as a pioneer of the country’s first large-scale agrivoltaics initiatives that integrates crop cultivation beneath photovoltaic arrays. Illinois is also attracting other renewable energy developers like Averon who is building its inaugural PV facility, Big Muddy Solar Project in the state as Illinois continues to expand its clean energy portfolio. The project was completed in partnership with Nextracker and SOLV Energy and launched multi-year collaborations with American Farmland Trust and local community organizations to deliver both energy and ecosystem benefits.

Project Team and Stakeholders Involved with Eldorado Solar Project in Illinois

Lead Developer and Owner

• Sol Systems – a national clean energy developer and independent power producer. Was responsible for project financing, development, execution, and community impact strategy formulation.

Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC)

• SOLV Energy – main EPC contractor responsible for civil, electrical, and mechanical construction and ongoing operations services.

Technology and Trackers

• Nextracker – supplier of high-performance single-axis solar tracking systems, predominantly U.S.-based supply chain.

Community and Agrivoltaics Partners

• American Farmland Trust (AFT) – agrivoltaics collaborator to establish Kernza® cultivation under the solar arrays and support sustainable agriculture integration.

• The Land Institute – agricultural research partner developing perennial grains for agrivoltaics trials.

• Eldorado High School & Saline County Community Organizations – beneficiaries of long-term educational, workforce, and community investment programs.

Local Government and Community Leadership

• City of Eldorado & Saline County Chamber of Commerce – local governance and economic partners supporting project integration and community benefits.

354 MW Eldorado Solar Project Completed Illinois First Agrivoltaic Program

Reported September 26, 2025 – Sol Systems has announced the completion of its largest project to date – the 354 MW Eldorado Solar Project in Saline County, Illinois. Delivered in partnership with Nextracker, supplier of advanced solar tracking systems using mostly U.S. steel, and SOLV Energy, the U.S.–based construction contractor, Eldorado now stands as one of the Midwest’s most significant clean-energy builds.

Construction and Technology Highlights at Eldorado Solar Project

• Tracking Systems: Nextracker supplied high-performance, field-adaptable trackers engineered for large-scale agrivoltaics.

• Domestic Supply Chain: Majority of steel and key components were sourced and manufactured in the U.S., shortening lead times and boosting local economic benefits.

• On-Site Workforce: SOLV Energy oversaw civil, mechanical, and electrical construction, coordinating hundreds of trade and technical jobs across multiple phases.

Agrivoltaics at Commercial Scale

A first of its kind in Illinois, Eldorado will combine utility-scale solar with row-crop agriculture following on the heels of Lightstar Renewables who celebrated their first agrivoltaics launch in New York this month as well.

Working with American Farmland Trust (AFT) and The Land Institute, the project will plant Kernza®, a perennial grain, beneath portions of the solar array. This research-driven agrivoltaics program will:

• Establish large-scale pollinator habitats to support biodiversity;

• Improve soil health with native and perennial plantings;

• Test row-crop performance under solar panels beginning Fall 2025.

Community Partnerships and Funding

Sol Systems has committed long-term funding and programs for:

• Eldorado High School (hands-on learning, micro-jobs, STEM integration);

• Food Works of Southern Illinois and other local nonprofits;

• University of Illinois Extension – Saline County 4-H;

• Prairie Rivers Network, Faith in Place, and the Southern Illinois Community Foundation.

These initiatives expand on a Power Purchase and Community Investment Agreement first established with Microsoft in 2020.

Factsheet: Eldorado Solar Project

• Project Name: Eldorado Solar Project

• Capacity: 354 MW (largest Sol Systems project to date)

• Location: Saline County (southeast Illinois)

• Developer: Sol Systems

• Construction Contractor: SOLV Energy

• Tracker Supplier: Nextracker (U.S. steel components)

• Agrivoltaics Partner: American Farmland Trust & The Land Institute

• Crops Under Panels: Kernza® (perennial grain)

• Community Beneficiaries:

  • Eldorado High School

  • Food Works of Southern Illinois

  • University of Illinois Extension – Saline County 4-H

  • Prairie Rivers Network

  • Faith in Place

  • Southern Illinois Community Foundation

• Research Start: Kernza® planting Fall 2025

• Ribbon Cutting: 2025, Eldorado, Illinois