In a major boost for U.S. renewable energy infrastructure, global investment firm Apollo has announced a joint venture with Summit Ridge Energy, committing up to $400 million through Apollo-managed funds to expand access to community solar. The venture will own and operate a commercial solar portfolio initially focused on Illinois—one of the most active community solar markets in the country.

The deal marks Apollo’s latest step in scaling its sustainable investment platform, while Summit Ridge continues to lead the charge in localized, grid-resilient clean energy solutions.

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Bringing Clean Energy Closer to Communities

Community solar has become one of the fastest-growing segments of the renewables market. Unlike traditional solar installations, community solar enables residents, businesses, and nonprofits to subscribe to local solar farms—accessing clean energy at reduced rates without needing rooftop panels.

Summit Ridge, launched in 2017, has emerged as a dominant player in this sector, with over 2GW of solar projects operating or in development across states like Illinois, Maryland, Virginia, and New York. The company combines solar and battery storage investments to stabilize local grids, lower costs for end users, and create energy jobs in underserved communities.

“With this expansion, we’re not just scaling solar—we’re scaling access, savings, and local resilience,” said Adam Kuehne, Chief Investment Officer at Summit Ridge. “Our mission is to decentralize and democratize energy.”

Apollo’s Growing Climate Capital Platform

This joint venture builds on Apollo’s $175 million investment in Summit Ridge in 2022 and reflects a broader shift in the firm’s climate strategy. Over the past five years, Apollo-managed funds have deployed or arranged approximately $58 billion in climate and energy transition investments. In 2023, the firm launched a sustainable investing platform targeting decarbonization and next-generation energy systems.

Apollo Partner Corinne Still emphasized the importance of community solar as a high-impact, scalable opportunity:

“We see this partnership as part of a larger movement to empower communities through clean power—and to meet rising demand with reliable, homegrown energy.”

Apollo aims to deploy $50 billion in clean energy capital over five years, with a projected $100 billion opportunity by 2030.

Investing in a New Grid for a New Economy

The new joint venture signals more than a financial commitment—it represents a structural evolution in how clean energy is financed and delivered. By supporting Summit Ridge’s community-based model, Apollo is betting on a distributed energy future: one where solar is not just for the wealthy or the rural, but for renters, small businesses, and city dwellers alike.

This partnership reflects the core thesis behind community solar: climate action can—and must—start at the neighborhood level.

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