Gem City Solar is a 1,166 acre, 175 MWAC solar PV facility. The project site is just outside the town of Quincy in Adams County and is currently used for agriculture. The site was acquired under long-term lease agreements for solar electricity power generation with multiple landowners. All local permitting is completed to construct and operate this project. The project is currently conducting environmental studies. This includes a wetlands delineation, a threatened and endangered species review, and a cultural, archaeological, and historical review of the entire site. Topographical and geotechnical studies were also completed.

The project will use bi-facial solar modules with high-efficiency PV cells that are optimized for utility-scale solar photovoltaic projects. Central inverters will minimize operations and maintenance costs and improve the efficiency of the overall plant. The modules will be mounted to a single-axis tracking system that is optimized for use with bi-facial panels to increase the system’s capacity factor.

The project will interconnect with Ameren’s 138 kV transmission system that traverses the site. The project filed an interconnection application with MISO in 2021 (Queue Position J2258) and expects to sign its Generator Interconnection Agreement late 2025.

Gem City Solar has an expected Commercial Operations Date in late 2027 or early 2028.