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Senator Sally Turner files
legislation to ensure renewable energy projects pay their fair share
[October 22, 2025]
Springfield, IL— State Senator
Sally Turner (R-Beason) has filed new legislation to ensure wind and
solar energy companies are paying their fair share in property
taxes, helping to reduce the burden on other property owners.
Senate Bill 2706 updates the state’s outdated property tax valuation
formula for renewable energy projects. The bill increases the real
property cost basis used to assess commercial wind and solar energy
systems, which determines how those properties are taxed.
Under current law, the base value
for wind projects is set at $360,000 per megawatt of capacity and
$218,000 per megawatt for solar systems. Senate Bill 2706 would
raise those baselines to $588,000 for wind and $446,000 for solar
beginning in tax year 2026. When the original valuation formulas
were created, wind and solar were new and emerging industries, so
the values were set at a lower level to help them grow. Senator
Sally Turner says that since these industries are now well
established, Illinois taxpayers should no longer have to subsidize
these reduced rates.
“Illinois families shouldn’t be carrying the tax load for renewable
energy companies using some of the best farmland in the entire
country,” said Senator Sally Turner. “These formulas haven’t kept up
with the growth of the industry or the value of the land they use.
It’s only fair that these projects pay property taxes that better
reflect their true worth.”
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Illinois’ property tax code
currently establishes a uniform statewide method for valuing
commercial wind and solar systems, based on their nameplate capacity
and adjusted annually by an inflation-based trending factor.
However, the base figures have remained stagnant for years, leading
to lower tax bills for renewable developers compared to other
property owners.
“This legislation is about basic
fairness,” continued Senator Sally Turner. “If we can make sure
everyone is paying their fair share, we can help ease the burden on
local taxpayers and support the schools, roads, and services that
our communities depend on.”
Senate Bill 2706 has been filed and awaits assignment to a Senate
committee for consideration.
[Marcus J. Durrett
Senior Communications Strategist
Communications and Public Affairs
Illinois Senate Republican Staff]
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