US-based Castillo Engineering will design two 7.5 MW DC community solar projects in Pontiac and Odell, Illinois, for Recon Corporation. Part of the Illinois Shines program, these projects will use single-axis trackers, with construction starting in Q1 2025 and completion expected by Q4 2025. Castillo has previously designed 23 MW of projects for Recon, and their collaboration will exceed 50 MW upon completion. These projects are among the first under the program's updated 5 MW ac size limit, which boosts scalability and growth. Illinois, a top-four state for community solar, has tripled capacity in four years, driven by favorable legislation enabling larger projects and faster renewable energy expansion.