Asked to add batteries to solar on your Montgomery County land?

Find out what is being added to the solar proposal

If a company wants to add batteries to a solar project on your Montgomery County land, ask it to describe the change in plain terms. Would the batteries be part of that solar facility, or would a separate project use the same property? Who would own and operate them?

Request a drawing showing what was proposed before and what would be added. Mark new equipment, cables, access and construction space. You should be able to see whether the battery proposal takes more land, changes a road or affects an area you expected to keep using.

Ask why the company is requesting a new signature. Does it need more acreage, a broader permitted use, a longer term or rights for another operator? Identify the change before deciding whether the offered payment fits it.

Keep the original agreement, amendments and drawings together. An informal explanation that the batteries are only an addition is not enough to tell you which property rights or obligations would change.

Confirm the project type and the review that applies

The county coordinator’s page says rural areas have no zoning ordinance and directs municipal questions to the city or village clerk. The county also publishes a solar ordinance. Have the team identify the actual jurisdiction and process for the proposed operation.

Illinois section 5-12020 includes associated energy storage in its definition of supporting facilities for commercial solar and wind projects. Section 5-12024 excludes that associated storage from its own defined scope. Ask the advisers to explain which provisions apply to this proposal and why.

The county solar text defines a solar storage unit and addresses the approved use and arrangement. Request an explanation of whether the batteries were included in the application or require a change. Compare the answer with the actual plan and approval documents.

Current state law also limits county standards and addresses modifications of approved commercial solar facilities. Do not use a county form alone to decide the applicable requirements. Have the team resolve any difference between the packet, current law and the actual project record.

Ask what remains outstanding for the electrical connection and safety review as well. A land agreement, application filing and permission to operate answer different questions. Request a status list for the changed design.

Reference: Montgomery County: coordinator, jurisdiction and energy-project resources · Montgomery County: solar ordinance and application examples, March 2026 revision · Illinois General Assembly: Counties Code sections 5-12020 and 5-12024

Check what the existing lease already allows

Give your agreement reviewer the whole set of signed documents. Include the original option or lease, recorded easements, amendments and any notices you received. Ask the reviewer to identify the current rights rather than considering the battery amendment on its own.

Look at the description of permitted activities. Does it address storage, supporting equipment or additional operators? Ask how those words apply to the proposed battery use, and which changes require another owner decision.

Check the area covered by the rights. A lease may describe a broad parcel while a drawing shows a smaller equipment site. Ask whether retained land can be used for roads, cables, studies or future equipment, and how any new use would be agreed.

Discuss restrictions that affect your own plans. Would the change limit building, farming, access or another potential use? Ask whether a battery operator can enter through an existing route used by the solar company, or needs separate rights.

If a second company would hold rights, have the reviewers explain how the arrangements fit together. You need to know who pays you, who coordinates work and whom to contact when a shared facility needs repair.

Read the owner signatures and authorizations carefully

The county solar packet includes owner information, entry permission and conformance statements. Read the actual version the team wants you to sign, including the attached plan and any proposed changes.

Ask your reviewer who is making each statement and accepting each obligation. Does the signature authorize county review, certify information or acknowledge costs? Identify any duties placed on the property owner and how they compare with the lease.

Do not rely on a company’s verbal promise to handle everything if the documents say something different. Request the revision or explanation needed to make your responsibilities clear before signing.

Check who can act for the owner and who receives official correspondence. If there are co-owners, a lender or a tenant, discuss any additional decisions or consents with your advisers. Keep copies of what is submitted and signed.

For a new study visit, agree separately on entry, work, notice and repair. An application authorization should have a clear explanation of its purpose; it should not leave you guessing about construction access.

Reference: Montgomery County: solar ordinance and application examples, March 2026 revision

Compare the new equipment with the land you keep using

Walk the changed layout with the current use of the property in mind. Can you still reach an adjoining field or building? Would a wider road, new gate or construction staging area interfere with your normal work?

Ask where delivery vehicles would travel and turn. Which improvements are permanent, and which are needed only during construction? Agree on when temporary space becomes available again and the condition in which it is returned.

Identify existing drainage features before contractors arrive. Where are ditches, culverts and known underground drains? Ask the team to show the proposed crossings and explain whether the added equipment changes water movement.

Request a before-work record of the areas that could be disturbed. Photos, drawings and agreed notes can help identify what needs repair later. Discuss how hidden drainage damage or crop losses are reported, investigated and resolved.

Ask who maintains each road, crossing, gate and drainage feature after the batteries start operating. A shared route needs a clear responsible party so the owner is not left sorting out which operator caused or should repair a problem.

Keep each payment and deadline understandable

Ask whether the battery amendment changes money already owed under the solar agreement. Separate any additional payment for storage, more land or broader rights from the existing option payment or rent.

Identify the event that starts each payment. Is it signing, entry, construction, use of additional acreage or commercial operation? Ask what you receive while the battery project waits for studies or other decisions.

Compare the time periods for solar and storage. Would the battery rights last beyond the original lease? Could one option be extended while the other ends? Ask how termination, extensions and release of rights work for each part.

If the layout changes during engineering, ask how additional rights and compensation are handled. Do not assume a revised drawing alone establishes agreement on acreage or payment.

Have advisers review expense and tax responsibilities too. Identify who pays for the change, filings, improvements and any agreed owner expenses. Keep records that let you check payments without relying on the project team’s internal invoices.

Plan for one facility closing while the other remains

Ask what would happen if the solar facility stops operating but the batteries continue, or the reverse. Would the remaining operator still need roads, cables, gates or other equipment belonging to the closed facility?

The county solar packet addresses removal plans and continued upkeep of fences and gates. Its application examples also contain language concerning owner responsibility for removal costs. Have your advisers review that language against state law, the actual approval and your proposed agreement.

Request a plan that identifies who removes each component, when work occurs and what condition must remain. Include foundations, cables, roads, drainage and vegetation. Discuss any improvement you may want to retain and how that choice is documented.

Ask what funds support the obligations and who can use them. Does a removal estimate cover both operations and shared equipment? Would the protection remain adequate if ownership changes or one facility closes early?

Keep ongoing maintenance and removal separate. A company may stop producing or storing energy before the site is restored. Ask who keeps the property secure, maintains access and pays agreed amounts during that period.

If a new owner takes over either operation, request notice and a clear transfer of the relevant duties. Confirm that obligations for shared facilities and land restoration still have an identifiable responsible party.

Reference: Montgomery County: solar ordinance and application examples, March 2026 revision

Send the location and describe the proposal you received

Start with the contact form, then tell us where the land is. Montgomery County and Illinois are starting entries you can edit. An exact acreage or parcel number is optional for the first inquiry.

If solar rights already exist, mention that and describe what the company now wants to add. Useful starting details include current land use, access, the proposed battery area and questions about payments or responsibilities.

You can begin without a finished engineering drawing. We may follow up for more information about the property and proposal. Submitting an inquiry does not authorize entry or commit you to an amendment, lease or sale.