Solarg, a Netherlands-based solar-panel manufacturer, and Lake County Partners asked the Lake County Financial and Administrative Committee on Aug. 7 to continue exploring a proposal to build a $300 million factory and headquarters on the Johns Manville Superfund site in Waukegan that company representatives said would create more than 500 permanent “green energy” jobs and more than 1,000 construction jobs during the first phase.

The company’s U.S. chief executive, Derek Vandevoerst, described Solarg’s panels as lighter than traditional modules, made without glass or aluminum and built from polymers and recycled feedstocks. “We guarantee that at the end of the lifetime, we pay our customers money to take the panels back,” Vandevoerst said, describing a take‑back recycling program the company has in place in Europe.

County and city officials said the site — part of the former Johns Manville industrial complex — includes roughly 110 acres cleared for redevelopment, 125 acres capped for contamination where building foundations are not permitted, and a 40‑acre borrow‑pit pond that could support floating solar arrays. Tom Miller, speaking for the City of Waukegan and Mayor Sam Cunningham, told the committee the city has committed $150,000 in TIF funds for site preparation and described the proposal as a competitive, national site-selection effort.

Why it matters: company executives and local leaders said the project would reuse a blighted industrial site, bring investment to an environmental‑justice community on the lakefront and supply locally made panels for commercial and industrial rooftops and other uses. Kevin Considine, president of Lake County Partners, told the committee he and local partners want to “get the sense” of whether the county is willing to continue negotiations and provide targeted support to make the Waukegan site competitive with a greenfield option in Kansas.

What the company proposes: Solarg told county officials the panels use standard solar cells but replace the glass and aluminum layers with polymer compounds. Vandevoerst said that change reduces weight from roughly 2.3 pounds per square foot to about 1.1 pounds per square foot, expands rooftop eligibility and reduces the panels’ CO2 footprint. He said the company has patents developed in partnership with SABIC, currently runs a factory in the Netherlands and has secured investment from Senti Ventures to finance U.S. expansion.

Financing and incentives discussed: company and state incentives are central to the business case. Vandevoerst cited the federal Section 45X advanced‑manufacturing tax credit as “a huge benefit” for domestic production and said the company has no Chinese ownership ties that would bar it from certain incentives. The company said it has been offered a package of Illinois incentives that includes the Reimagining Electric Vehicles (REV2) program refund on state income tax for employee wages (described in the presentation as a refund of the 4.95% state income tax for up to 30 years in tiers), potential sales‑tax relief on construction materials and a “prime sites” grant that the company characterized as $10,000 per full‑time employee (500 employees → $5 million total, described as $2.5 million upfront and $2.5 million on hiring targets).

Site advantages and constraints: presenters said the capped portion of the Johns Manville parcel cannot receive new buildings without engineered fill and other remedial construction, which increases site‑preparation costs relative to a green‑field alternative. The company emphasized that the capped area is highly suitable for ground‑mounted and floating solar and said the firm could make the campus net‑zero by powering the factory with on‑site generation. County staff and committee members repeatedly noted the site will require coordination among city, state and federal agencies, utility service upgrades (presenters referred to the local power utility as ComEd) and possible zoning changes or annexation of the borrow pit parcel.

Committee response and next steps: committee members expressed broad interest but asked for more detail. Chair Frank said administrative staff and county leadership would work with Lake County Partners to develop a specific proposal and return to committee with next steps; officials noted a target decision window the company gave of September. Frank said any county financial assistance would require formal board action, and members asked to see proposals on clawbacks, reporting and procurement conditions.

Concerns raised: committee members and attendees asked about worker training and local hiring commitments, environmental emissions from manufacturing, community engagement and impacts on migratory birds. Vandevoerst said the process uses no water and that the factory would be equipped with filtering and exhaust systems to control airborne particulates; he also volunteered to work with local conservation groups on bird and habitat issues. County members asked for more documentation on expected emissions and public‑health safeguards.

What was not decided: the committee did not adopt or authorize any county funding or incentives at the meeting. Committee members directed staff to continue discussions with Lake County Partners and Solarg and to return with a specific proposal and supporting documents for committee and board consideration, with the company’s stated decision timetable (September) in mind.

Background: Solarg described prior production in the Netherlands beginning in February 2023, a shared patent portfolio with SABIC and interest from state and national partners. The company said it is competing nationally for one U.S. headquarters site; the Waukegan location was presented as the county’s competitive finalist next to a greenfield Kansas option.

The presentation included representatives from Lake County Partners — Kevin Considine and Ron Lanz — and company representatives including Derek Vandevoerst. The committee heard one public comment from Tom Miller on behalf of the City of Waukegan before the company presentation.