From Coal Country to Clean Energy: A New Chapter for Southern Illinois

On November 10, 1810, a flatboat carrying Illinois coal arrived in New Orleans. William Boone and a man named Peter had loaded it with coal from a drift tunnel carved into the banks of the Big Muddy River, just south of present-day Murphysboro in Jackson County. They floated down the Big Muddy to the Mississippi, and blacksmiths paid a premium for what they delivered. Coal that burned hotter and cleaner than wood.

It was the first commercial coal shipment in Illinois history. Over the next two years, Boone and Peter repeated the trip six times. Others followed. For 13 years, Jackson County was the only place in the state producing coal.

Two hundred and fifteen years later, five miles north of where William and Peter loaded that flatboat, the Big Muddy Solar Project is going up. Nearly $200 million in investment. The same river that carried coal south in 1810 now bears the name of one of Illinois’s largest solar installations.

The riverbanks haven’t changed much, but the energy source has.

An Industry and Its Communities

What started along the Big Muddy eventually spread to 76 of Illinois’s 102 counties. Over 7,400 coal mines would operate across the state. (“Built on Coal,” STORIED Magazine, University of Illinois)

Walk through Southern Illinois today, and you’ll still see that identity. Annual Black Diamond Days celebrations with carnivals and parades. High school teams called the Miners. The Illinois Coal Museum on Historic Route 66. Towns named Coal City, Carbondale, Diamond, Carbon Hill, Glen Carbon. (STORIED Magazine). Families emigrated from Scotland, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, and Hungary specifically for mining work. This is why you’ll find world-class Italian bakeries in rural towns like Herrin today. (University of Illinois research)

The Herrin Seam

Southern Illinois miners were tapping into something significant.

The Herrin No. 6 coal seam runs through Williamson and Franklin counties at a thickness of 7 to 14 feet, one of the thickest and most consistent seams anywhere. A thick, consistent seam meant efficient, predictable mining. The coal itself was high-heat bituminous, the grade railroads and steel mills paid a premium for. Illinois still holds the largest reserve of recoverable bituminous thermal coal east of the Mississippi. (University of Illinois research; STORIED Magazine)

That geology made Southern Illinois a center of the industry. At its peak in the mid-20th century, West Frankfort’s Orient No. 2 was the largest shaft coal mine in the world. More than 1,500 men worked a single shift. When shifts changed, the streets were so crowded with workers that cars couldn’t pass. (University of Illinois research)

The work was demanding, but it built middle-class lives. Miners could support families, buy homes, and send kids to college, all with a high school diploma. Coal plants and mines paid substantial property taxes that funded schools and infrastructure across the region.

When the Economics Shifted

Coal’s dominance didn’t last forever. Natural gas from fracking began to undercut coal prices in the 2010s and surpassed it as Illinois’s second-largest power source by 2023. Many Southern Illinois plants were built in the 1970s, and keeping aging equipment running and compliant grew more and more expensive. By 2024, building new solar cost less than operating some existing coal plants. One by one, they shut down. (Illinois Power Agency 2025 Resource Adequacy Study)

Illinois mined roughly the same amount of coal in 2023 as it did in 1998, but with 1,748 fewer miners. Machines replaced crews. (Illinois Power Agency; Climate Jobs Institute) Coal provided 46% of Illinois electricity in 2009. By 2024, that had dropped to 14%, a loss of over 9,100 megawatts of capacity. (Illinois Power Agency)

The economics moved. And now, those same economics are creating new opportunities on the same land where coal built communities for generations.

The Big Muddy Comes Full Circle

The Big Muddy Solar Project sits on State Route 127, five miles from where William and Peter dug that first drift mine in 1810. Over its lifespan, it will pay roughly $12.6 million in property taxes to Jackson County, funding schools and infrastructure the way coal operations once did.

Also See: How Solar Projects Benefit Southern Illinois Communities 

In 2025, the developer made a deliberate choice. They renamed the project from “Campbell Solar” to “Big Muddy Solar” to honor the local identity, and the logo even includes an outline of Murphysboro’s legendary Big Muddy Monster.

Across Southern Illinois, coal sites that defined communities for generations are being considered for solar facilities. Baldwin, Coffeen, Newton, and the retired Joppa plant are all in various stages of development.

The Workforce

Southern Illinois already has between 4,380 and 6,132 clean energy jobs. The workforce is growing nearly five times faster than the state economy. The problem? Employers can’t find enough qualified workers. (Climate Jobs Institute Southern Region Data Packet)

If you’ve worked with your hands, troubleshot equipment, or followed safety protocols, you’re already qualified. Whether you’re 25 or 55, the abilities that made you good at your last job translate directly to what clean energy companies need.

A miner had to read the roof, watching for cracks that signaled an imminent collapse. He operated equipment in near-darkness, troubleshot ventilation systems that kept dangerous gases from building up, and made decisions that could save lives. When something broke 500 feet underground, there was no supervisor to call. You figured it out, fixed it, and got back to work.

Solar installers assemble and mount photovoltaic systems on rooftops and ground arrays. They connect electrical wiring, test systems for proper voltage and current, troubleshoot malfunctions, and perform repairs. It’s outdoor work in all weather. It requires reading electrical schematics, following strict safety protocols, and working independently when problems come up. OSHA 10 certification is still required.

HVAC technicians install and maintain high-efficiency heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. They diagnose why a system isn’t performing, read pressure and temperature gauges, replace components, and optimize efficiency. It requires understanding how systems work together, troubleshooting when things go wrong, and getting it done right the first time.

These aren’t office jobs. They’re hands-on work that builds something real: systems that power homes, businesses, and communities. No college degree required. (Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook, May 2024)

Free Training, Real Certifications, Real Jobs

The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) Workforce Hub program offers Southern Illinois residents free training for careers in solar installation, HVAC, and other clean energy fields. No experience required. No tuition. No cost for materials.

The program, operated by Man-Tra-Con Corporation in Carbondale, runs 12 to 16 weeks (for most cohorts) with classes meeting about four hours daily. Training covers clean energy fundamentals, employability skills, and hands-on instruction in your chosen field. You’ll earn industry-recognized certifications, including OSHA 10, First Aid/CPR, and occupation-specific credentials that employers across the region recognize.

Man-Tra-Con understands that obstacles can prevent people from finishing training. Transportation problems. Childcare needs. Unexpected bills that can’t wait. The program provides student support that includes:

• Transportation assistance
• Childcare support
• Attendance-based stipends
• Technology and equipment access
• Emergency payments for bills that come up during training

After training, Man-Tra-Con’s team connects you directly with employers. The program has built relationships with clean energy companies across Southern Illinois. Job placement support includes resume help, interview preparation, and direct employer introductions. That support continues for 12 months after you complete the program.

The program serves residents from R3 (Restore, Reinvest, Renew) communities, nearly 97,000 people in the region, plus many others through additional pathways. 

In 1810, two men loaded coal onto a flatboat and started something that would define this region for two centuries. The market has shifted. The technology has changed. 

Southern Illinois has been energy country for 215 years. Despite the changing coal industry, it doesn’t end. It evolves.

Sources

Southern Illinois Tourism
“First Coal Mine in Illinois”
https://southernillinoistourism.org/first-coal-mine-in-illinois/

University of Illinois Advancement
“Built on Coal” by Abigail Bobrow
STORIED Magazine, October 4, 2021
Original reporting on Gillespie, Illinois and Macoupin County coal heritage

University of Illinois Research
Historical research on Southern Illinois coal mining, including the Herrin No. 6 coal seam, West Frankfort’s Orient No. 2 mine, and European immigration patterns to Southern Illinois coal communities

Illinois Power Agency
“2025 Resource Adequacy Study,” December 2025
Data on electricity generation capacity, coal retirement, and projected power shortfalls

Climate Jobs Institute, University of Illinois
“Southern Region Data Packet,” January 2025
Employment data for clean energy jobs in Southern Illinois

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
“Occupational Outlook Handbook,” May 2024
National employment and wage data for solar installers and HVAC technicians