MORGAN COUNTY SOLAR PROJECTS GENERATE ABOUT $1.7 MILLION IN LOCAL TAX REVENUE

MORGAN COUNTY, Ill. — Utility-scale solar projects have become a significant source of property tax revenue for local governments, with approximately $1.7 million attributed to solar developments during the latest tax year.

Wolf Run Solar Park, a 140-megawatt project northwest of Jacksonville that reached full operation in 2025, accounted for roughly $753,544 in tax payments. Double Black Diamond, which extends across Morgan and Sangamon counties, contributed approximately $701,649, according to figures reported for local taxing districts.

The money is distributed through the property tax system, which supports public bodies such as schools, local governments and other taxing districts. The payments show a growing fiscal role for energy projects that occupy substantial acreage but require comparatively few permanent employees after construction.

Wolf Run's developer, EDP Renewables, has projected that the project could generate about $31 million in taxes across a 40-year operating life. Such projections depend on the facility's continued operation and the tax arrangements in effect over time; they are not guaranteed future collections.

Supporters point to the additional tax base, landowner lease payments and work associated with building large solar installations. Opponents have raised questions about conversion of agricultural land, decommissioning and whether long-term public benefits will outweigh changes to rural landscapes.

A central distinction in the local debate is between construction employment and permanent jobs. Building a solar farm can require a large temporary workforce, while day-to-day operation generally needs far fewer people. Wolf Run has been reported as employing two permanent workers.

As Morgan County tracks the revenue from these developments, the broader question for residents and taxing districts is how those payments will fit into long-range budgets, farmland policy and eventual site restoration.