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Lake Forest, IL

Developing community solar across East St. Louis brownfields to advance construction readiness and expand local ownership opportunities.

• Three-site community solar portfolio: CESL Energy is advancing three planned solar sites on former industrial and brownfield properties in East St. Louis.
• Interconnection and deposit milestones: Proceeds are intended to support interconnection activities and project deposits necessary to move toward construction readiness.
• Safe harbor and site development support: Funding is directed to safe harbor related expenditures, site work, and development costs tied to pre-construction progress.
• Holding-company coordination: A holding-company structure with affiliated project entities manages project-level rights and documentation under centralized portfolio oversight.
• Community and vendor collaboration: The initiative coordinates with city leadership, community and faith-based organizations, and Black-owned engineering firms to develop solar assets for the local area.

CESL Energy is raising capital to fund the first phase of the East St. Louis Community Solar Portfolio, advancing three planned solar sites on former industrial and brownfield properties in East St. Louis, Illinois. The proceeds are intended for development milestones required before construction, including interconnection activities, project deposits, safe harbor related expenditures, site work, professional fees, reserves, and other costs that support portfolio progress toward construction readiness. These activities include engineering and diligence work and compliance steps intended to preserve eligibility for solar incentives and follow-on funding.

Through CESL Energy, the initiative operates through a coordinated renewable-energy development effort that brings together clean energy developers, city leadership, and community and faith-based organizations. The project strategy is executed through a holding-company approach with affiliated project entities, including CESL Site 1, LLC, CESL Site 2, LLC, and CESL Site 3, LLC, to manage project-level rights and documentation while keeping portfolio oversight centralized. CESL Energy also works with Black-owned engineering firms to convert underutilized land into productive solar assets. As the sites move from development to later-stage financing and construction, the portfolio is designed to create value for the surrounding community by enabling community solar arrangements tied to the local sites and by establishing a pathway toward local ownership.

Company Info

CESL Energy develops and coordinates community solar projects in East St. Louis by managing interconnection and pre-construction activities across affiliated project entities.

CESL Energy develops, finances, and coordinates community solar projects in East St. Louis, Illinois using a holding company and affiliated project entities. It manages portfolio-level strategy and oversight while project companies hold and advance specific solar sites on former industrial and brownfield land.

The organization supports pre-construction work such as interconnection processes, development and site-related deposits, engineering and diligence activities, and professional and compliance expenses. It also funds required reserves and other milestone costs needed to prepare projects for later-stage financing and construction. Through these activities, CESL Energy positions the portfolio to generate value through community solar subscriptions, host or power purchase arrangements, and related incentives or renewable energy credits when projects reach operational status.