Toyota Boshoku’s 5.7-MW Illinois Solar Array Powers 85 % of Plant Demand

• Toyota Boshoku America flips the switch on a 5.7-MW solar array in Illinois, meeting 85 % of plant power, cutting 6,800 t CO₂ and locking in energy savings.

Toyota Boshoku America (TBA) has energised a 5.7-MW ground-mounted solar array at its Lawrenceville, Illinois, interiors plant—enough to cover roughly 85 % of the factory’s annual electricity needs and slash both costs and carbon.

Project anatomy

Spanning 17 acres adjacent to the facility, the system will generate more than 9.5 million kWh a year, equivalent to avoiding about 6,800 t of CO₂—comparable to taking 1,500 cars off US roads. Sol Systems originated and developed the array before transferring ownership to Onyx Renewables, which will operate it under a long-term power-purchase agreement. Nelnet Renewable Energy served as EPC contractor, delivering the installation with zero upfront capital outlay for TBA.

Why it matters for Toyota Boshoku

The onsite array is the largest solar asset in Toyota Boshoku’s global manufacturing portfolio and a cornerstone of the company’s target to reach net-zero Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2050. Beyond lowering the plant’s grid draw, the long-dated PPA hedges against volatile wholesale power prices, providing predictable energy costs for more than two decades.

Community and ecological benefits

Project partners have pledged to manage the site as a pollinator-friendly habitat, enhancing local biodiversity while minimising mowing and chemical use. Construction employed local labour and suppliers, injecting new spending into Lawrence County’s economy.

Growing momentum in Midwest manufacturing

TBA’s move mirrors a broader trend among Midwest auto-parts makers to electrify operations with behind-the-meter renewables. Analysts note that rising corporate sustainability mandates, the IRA’s clean-energy incentives and favourable third-party-ownership models are accelerating adoption of onsite solar across America’s industrial heartland.

With the Lawrenceville array now fully commissioned, Toyota Boshoku intends to replicate the template at other US plants as it drives toward a cleaner—and more competitively priced—energy future.