Illinois Shines (The Big One)
Illinois Shines — the state’s Adjustable Block Program — pays solar owners for SRECs: one Solar Renewable Energy Credit for every megawatt-hour your system generates. Your system’s credits are sold through an Approved Vendor over a 15-year contract, and for a typical home the payments add up to several thousand dollars. Your installer handles the paperwork, but the money is yours — make sure your quote shows the SREC value as a line item, not buried in a ‘discount.’
Utility Distributed Generation Rebate
ComEd and Ameren Illinois offer a rebate per kilowatt of installed capacity for systems with smart inverters (ComEd’s has been $300/kW). Your installer applies; confirm the current amount in your quote.
Net Billing (Since 2025)
Excess energy you export is credited at your utility’s supply rate rather than the full retail rate. Every quote should model your savings under net billing — ask for it by name.
The Federal Credit: What Changed
The federal residential clean energy credit (Section 25D) ended for homeowner-owned systems placed in service after December 31, 2025. Leases and PPAs follow different rules through the commercial credit, which is one reason those offers now push harder — compare the total cost, not the monthly payment.