Moxie Solar Illinois LLC, in partnership with the City of Dixon, Lee County, Small Business Development Center of Dixon, Lee County Industrial Development Association, and Dixon Chamber of Commerce and Main Street, is proud to announce the opening of its headquarters and regional distribution center located in the former Walter C. Knack building in Dixon, Illinois.
Dixon is the county seat of Lee County, and the boyhood hometown of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan. Approximately 100 miles west of Chicago, Illinois, and 42 miles south of Rockford, Illinois, Lee County is the third most northern county in Illinois and the beginning of the I-88 tollway. Dixon offers its residents and visitors access to the nationally designated waterway, the Rock River, a downtown National Historic District, and a multitude of opportunities to experience art and culture. As a regional employment hub, Dixon has many industries employing thousands of local residents. Major employers in the area include Raynor Garage Doors, Donaldson Inc., Borg Warner and Spectrum brands.
In late 2016, Illinois passed the Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA). This comprehensive legislation was designed to jumpstart a renewable energy industry in the state. As part of the legislation, Illinois utilities will be required to source 25 percent of their energy from renewable sources by 2025. This requirement is expected to drive development of up to 3,000 MW of new solar energy projects by 2030. Kevin Marx, representing LCIDA, commented, "We recognize that the State of Illinois is on the cusp of the new fledgling industry of solar. The economic development groups that move most expeditiously derive the most long-term economic benefits from their investments."
Moxie Solar Illinois LLC was founded by Jenn Hall in December 2017. Jenn Hall is the spouse of Jason Hall, who is the founder and CEO of Moxie Solar Inc., headquartered out of North Liberty, Iowa. Moxie Solar Inc. was founded in 2008, and has seen extreme success and growth in the 10 years since its inception. In response to the new legislation, Jenn acted upon her dream of creating a solar company of her own.
Moxie Solar Illinois is a full-service solar installer, offering custom start-to-finish solar solutions to its residential, commercial, agricultural, and municipal customers. The company employs a skilled staff of engineers, PV installers, electricians, client services specialists, and administrative professionals. "These are the exact type of jobs and this is the exact type of company that we are looking to bring to the area," Danny Langloss, city manager of Dixon, commented. Moxie Solar Illinois has plans to create 50 jobs in the Dixon area in the next 36 months.
Jenn Hall, CEO of Moxie Solar Illinois, listed several reasons she chose Dixon as the company's headquarters:
"Dixon's proximity to schools that seed the workforce with quality technical and engineering students creates a favorable environment, not just for the current solar installation company, but also for future research and development endeavors. These R&D projects would allow Moxie to realize increased efficiency, reduced install time, and further vertical integration of the product offering. For example, Moxie Solar Illinois LLC may consider manufacturing solar-related materials in the coming years. The favorable location is what brought us to look into Dixon, but the people are the reason we stayed. We are so grateful to the amazing folks of Dixon and Lee County, providing us the support it takes to make this dream a reality."
Stacey Colledge, president and CEO of the Dixon Chamber of Commerce and Main Street, summed up Jenn's sentiments, "Heck, based on what we know, Dixon could become the solar capital of Illinois!"