Illinois Solar Incentives in 2026

Solar money available in Illinois

Each card names a fact we keep on file, with the date we read the official source.

One credit is one megawatt-hour of solar power, which is 1,000 kilowatt-hours. A system that makes 10,000 kilowatt-hours a year makes about 10 credits a year, and the contract counts the credits over 15 or 20 years.

Reading the price

The price per credit depends on your location group and on your system size. Group A covers Ameren Illinois, MidAmerican and some co-ops and city utilities in the MISO grid region. Group B covers ComEd and some co-ops and city utilities in the PJM grid region. For 2026-27 a system of 10 kW or less gets $70.37 in Group A and $80.77 in Group B. Naperville runs its own electric utility, so ask an approved vendor which group applies to you.

Illinois Shines pays your vendor, and your vendor must pass the value to you as the contract says. Ask whether you will be paid in a lump sum, in parts, or as a lower price.

How and when the money arrives

For contracts approved on or after June 1, 2026, half of the payment is made when the system turns on and the rest is spread over six years. Earlier contracts were paid all at once. The state requires a disclosure form from your vendor that explains how any promised payment will pass to you. Read it before you sign.

The loss of the federal credit

The federal credit covered 30 percent of a home solar system for years. It ended for spending after December 31, 2025. Illinois answered with the $20 adder for customer-owned systems. We cannot say if it fully replaces the lost credit. Ask your vendor to show the full cost, the expected yearly output and the expected payments side by side in a simple table.

What we did not confirm

We did not read the 2026 Illinois net metering rules, which decide what your utility pays for extra power you send to the grid, so we state no amount. We did not confirm a ComEd or Ameren Illinois battery rebate. If a vendor promises one, ask for the program name and check it.

Leases and loans

A lease or power purchase agreement is not eligible for the $20 adder. The page says the adder is for a project the customer owns. If a vendor offers a lease, ask how the credit payment is handled and who gets it.

How to get the Illinois solar incentive

1. Check your electric bill to find your utility and group.
2. Collect at least three quotes from Illinois Shines approved vendors.
3. Ask each how many credits the contract has and how you will be paid.
4. Let the vendor submit the application and keep every contract page.
5. If your income is low, ask Illinois Solar for All first.

More for Illinois homes

• Illinois home rebates: every program in one place
• Illinois Shines program page: how the payment is made
• Chicago rebates: ComEd area
• Peoria rebates: Ameren Illinois area
• Illinois rebate calculator: add up your programs

Common questions

By Sam Menard. Sources, last read October 6, 2026: Illinois Shines Small Distributed Generation, Illinois Shines 2026-27 REC prices, Illinois Solar for All, Naperville renewable energy incentives.