The rooftop of the massive Medline distribution center in Grayslake, 1.4 million square feet in size, now features 11,500 solar panels generating 5.2 megawatts of solar power, an installation that is part of the final waves of businesses taking advantage of sunsetting federal rebates for solar projects.
Although Grayslake Mayor Elizabeth Davies said a significant portion of the building’s electricity now comes from the solar installation, company representatives declined to give specifics. The solar installation, built by PowerFlex, broke ground last summer and wrapped up this spring.
The Medline distribution site first opened in 2022 and makes deliveries throughout the Great Lakes region. It sits on the Cornerstone property in the village’s “central range,” which Davies said is bookmarked for “property tax diversification.”
That means buildings and developments that can bring in tax revenue without also bringing in more people who require an increase in community services. Davies said this helps take the tax burden off homeowners.
The area has become the center of local controversy: construction is underway for the first phase of a massive data center development, known as T5 Chicago IV, potentially bringing many millions of square feet of data centers to Grayslake.
According to Davies, Medline was the first property to move ahead at Cornerstone, building the 1.4 million-square-foot medical distribution site. Davies, who has stood on the Medline roof herself after the solar panels installation, said the scale was “just incredible.”
Grayslake is designated as a solar-friendly community by SolSmart, a national designation and assistance program, and has made the solar installation process easier to encourage the building of clean energy infrastructure.
Davies praised the “innovation” of businesses coming into the village.
“Medline has demonstrated its commitment to being an integral part of our community. Innovations such as the new solar panel array highlight Medline’s dedication to responsible growth and respect for the unique character of Grayslake,” she said in a statement.
The solar installation was developed using state and federal funds, a Medline representative confirmed. That makes it part of the final wave of businesses utilizing federal rebates that are coming to a close.
Last year, the federal tax and spending plan, known as the “Big Beautiful Bill,” set new deadlines for residential and commercial solar projects hoping to utilize federal rebates. The residential deadline has already come and gone, but commercial projects have until June 4 to have a signed contract and construction underway.
