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How a gas plant helped fast-track 270 MW of new solar
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- DeepHorus
Earthrise Energy has brought a 270 MWac solar project online in Illinois by leveraging the existing grid connection of a natural gas peaking plant, bypassing the lengthy interconnection queue. The Archtop Solar Project, which includes Gibson City Solar 1 and Gibson City Solar 2, entered commercial operation on June 9, marking the first deployment of the company’s surplus interconnection strategy. Instead of building new transmission infrastructure, the solar farm shares the grid connection with a nearby gas-fired peaker plant, enabling faster deployment amid rising electricity demand.
Getting new solar projects connected to the grid typically takes years due to backlogs in interconnection queues. Earthrise’s approach sidesteps this bottleneck by using the regional grid operator MISO’s surplus interconnection process, which allows new generation to utilize existing transmission capacity. The Arlington, Virginia-based independent power producer secured approval through this process rather than waiting in the traditional queue.
The 270 MWac facility operates in tandem with the Gibson City gas plant: when the sun shines, the solar project supplies electricity; when solar output drops and demand spikes, the fast-start gas plant ramps up. Jeff Hunter, Earthrise’s CEO, stated that the project demonstrates an innovative use of existing infrastructure to accelerate deployment while supporting Illinois’ clean energy goals. Scott Halleran, vice president of asset management, noted that early operating results align with expectations for coordinated solar and peaker generation.
The strategy has significant implications for the renewable energy industry, as interconnection delays remain a major barrier. Hunter called the project a blueprint for future development across the region, potentially enabling faster integration of renewables without costly grid upgrades. Earthrise is already developing roughly 1.5 GW of additional solar projects in Illinois using the same approach, including Northwest Solar, Glacier Moraine Solar, and others across several counties.
As electricity demand continues to grow, innovative interconnection solutions like Earthrise’s could help accelerate the clean energy transition. The company’s success in Illinois may encourage other developers to explore surplus interconnection opportunities, reducing wait times and deployment costs. However, the scalability of this model depends on grid capacity and regulatory support.
Looking ahead, Earthrise plans to bring its portfolio of Illinois solar projects online using the same surplus interconnection strategy. The company believes this approach can serve as a template for other regions facing similar grid constraints, potentially reshaping how renewable projects are connected to the power system.
