Updated November 2026 by Wolf River Electric, a solar company serving Illinois homes, farms and businesses.
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Illinois solar incentives at a glance (November 2026)
| Program | What you get | Who qualifies |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois Shines | Payment for 15 years of renewable energy credits: 50% at switch-on, the rest over 6 years (contracts approved from June 1, 2026) | Home systems up to 25 kW AC, enrolled through an Illinois Shines Approved Vendor |
| Illinois Shines owner adder | An extra $20 per credit | Systems the homeowner owns (cash or loan), 2026-27 program year |
| Distributed generation rebate | $300 per kW of solar, one time | ComEd and Ameren Illinois customers with a smart inverter |
| Storage rebate | $300 per kWh of battery capacity | ComEd and Ameren Illinois customers who enroll the battery in the utility’s virtual power plant for 5 years |
| Illinois Solar for All | No upfront cost and guaranteed savings | Income-eligible households (at or below 80% of area median income) |
| Net metering | Credits for the supply portion of exported power | Systems connected on or after January 1, 2025 (older systems keep their original terms) |
| Property tax | Limits on how much solar can raise your assessment | Homeowners |
| Federal 25D tax credit | 30% of system cost | Ended December 31, 2025 |
What is Illinois Shines?
Illinois Shines is the state’s main solar incentive. Its formal name is the Adjustable Block Program, and the Illinois Power Agency runs it. Your system earns one renewable energy credit (REC) for every 1,000 kWh it makes. The utility buys the credits your system is expected to make over 15 years, at a price set for each program year, and pays for all of them within about six years of switch-on.
It works in every part of the state. ComEd customers and co-ops and city utilities in northern Illinois are in Group B. Ameren Illinois, MidAmerican (Quad Cities) and co-ops and city utilities in central and southern Illinois are in Group A. Each group has its own price.
How much does Illinois Shines pay in 2026?
These are the prices per credit for home-size systems in the 2026-27 program year, which started June 1, 2026 (Illinois Power Agency, as of November 2026). Sizes are in kW AC, which is a bit smaller than the DC size on most quotes.
| System size (AC) | Group A (Ameren, MidAmerican) | Group B (ComEd) |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 10 kW | $70.37 per REC | $80.77 per REC |
| Over 10 kW to 25 kW | $60.92 per REC | $79.21 per REC |
| Owner adder (cash or loan) | +$20 per REC | +$20 per REC |
Example, round numbers, not a quote: say the program expects your system to make 9 MWh a year. Over 15 years that is 135 RECs. In ComEd territory that is 135 x $80.77, about $10,900, or about $13,600 if you own the system. In Ameren territory the same system is about $9,500, or about $12,200 if you own it. Prices step down as capacity blocks fill, so the year you enroll matters.
When and how is Illinois Shines paid?
For contracts approved on or after June 1, 2026, the utility pays 50% of the REC value when your system is switched on and the rest in equal parts over the next six years. Contracts from earlier years paid 100% at switch-on, so older quotes and articles may show a different schedule.
The utility pays the Approved Vendor, not you. Your contract sets how your share reaches you: a lower system price, a lump sum after switch-on, or payments over time. The standard Disclosure Form must show it in dollars. On a lease or PPA, the leasing company owns the system, so it gets the REC payment and the utility rebate, and the contract should show how that lowers your price.
Ask these questions before you sign:
- Who is the Approved Vendor for my RECs?
- What is my share in dollars, and when is it paid?
- Is there a program fee, and is it on the Disclosure Form?
- What happens if the system stops reporting production or I sell the home?
Is Illinois Shines legit?
Yes. Illinois Shines is a real state program run by the Illinois Power Agency, and the utilities pay for the credits under contracts the state sets up. The thing to check is the seller, not the program. Only Approved Vendors can enroll a system, and the official Illinois Shines site lists them. Illinois Shines also covers community solar subscriptions, which some companies sell door to door. A subscription is a separate product from panels on your own roof. If a seller says the state will pay for your panels, ask for the Disclosure Form and look the company up first.
ComEd and Ameren distributed generation rebate
Illinois law requires ComEd and Ameren Illinois to pay a one-time rebate of $300 per kW of solar for systems that use a smart inverter. An 8 kW system earns about $2,400. The rebate goes to the system owner after the system is connected. MidAmerican Energy customers in the Quad Cities area follow MidAmerican’s own rules for rebates, but they can still use Illinois Shines.
Illinois home battery rebate
ComEd and Ameren also pay $300 per kWh of battery storage installed with an approved smart inverter. A 13.5 kWh Tesla Powerwall 3 earns about $4,050. Since June 1, 2026, the rebate comes with a five-year commitment to the utility’s virtual power plant. Starting in 2027, the utility can run your battery on weekday afternoons from 4 to 6 pm, June through September, and pays you for that. ComEd’s posted terms also ask for an hourly or time-of-day rate plan, and Ameren’s rebate is for batteries charged by on-site solar. The terms are still changing, so we confirm them with your utility before you apply.
Most of our battery installs run about $12,500 to $20,900 for a Powerwall 3, about $11,800 to $19,700 for an Enphase IQ Battery 10C and about $15,400 to $22,000 for a FranklinWH (as of November 2026). The low end is with a prepaid lease plus our 10% discount, the high end is buying outright, and a panel upgrade can add cost. See the batteries we install on our home battery backup page.
Illinois Solar for All
Illinois Solar for All helps income-eligible households go solar with no upfront cost and savings built into the contract. Single-family homes with household income at or below 80% of area median income may qualify, through a program Approved Vendor.
Net metering after January 1, 2025
Systems connected before January 1, 2025 keep full net metering for the life of the system. New systems on ComEd and Ameren now earn credits for the supply portion of the power they export, not the delivery charges. That makes a smaller, well-sized system, or one paired with a battery, the better value. We size your system to the power you use and show you the numbers with and without a battery.
Property tax
Illinois law limits how much a solar system can raise your property assessment, so going solar adds little or nothing to your property tax bill.
What happened to the 30% federal tax credit?
The Residential Clean Energy Credit (Section 25D) ended for systems installed after December 31, 2025. Illinois Shines added the $20 per REC owner adder for 2026-27 because owned home systems lost that credit. Homeowners who lease can still get savings tied to the 30% commercial credit, and businesses can claim it for systems placed in service by the end of 2027 or started by July 4, 2026. Read what changed with the solar tax credit.
Example: incentives on an 8 kW system
This example uses round numbers, not a quote. At the Illinois average of about $2.93 per watt (EnergySage, as of October 2026), an 8 kW system costs about $23,400 before incentives.
- Distributed generation rebate: 8 kW x $300 = about $2,400.
- Illinois Shines: if the program expects about 9 MWh a year, about $10,900 in ComEd territory or about $13,600 if you own the system. Half is paid at switch-on and the rest over six years, and your contract sets how much reaches you.
- Battery rebate (optional): a 13.5 kWh Powerwall 3 x $300 = about $4,050, with virtual power plant enrollment.
Illinois solar incentive questions
Is there a solar rebate in Illinois in 2026?
Yes. ComEd and Ameren Illinois pay a one-time rebate of $300 per kW of solar with a smart inverter, plus $300 per kWh of battery storage when the battery joins the utility’s virtual power plant.
How much does Illinois Shines pay?
In the 2026-27 program year, home systems up to 10 kW AC earn $80.77 per REC in ComEd territory and $70.37 in Ameren territory, plus $20 per REC if you own the system. The payment covers 15 years of credits: half at switch-on and the rest over six years.
Who are the Approved Vendors for Illinois Shines?
The Illinois Power Agency lists every Approved Vendor and Designee on the Illinois Shines site. Many installers work with an Approved Vendor that handles the REC contract and reporting. Ask your installer to name it in writing. It appears on your Disclosure Form.
Is net metering going away in Illinois?
Full net metering ended for new ComEd and Ameren systems on January 1, 2025. New systems earn supply-only credits for exported power. Systems connected earlier keep their terms.
Can I still get the 30% solar tax credit in Illinois?
Not if you buy the system in 2026. The homeowner credit ended on December 31, 2025. If you own the system, Illinois Shines pays the $20 per REC adder instead.
Get Illinois incentives built into your quote
Wolf River Electric is a solar company serving Illinois homes, farms and businesses with its own licensed crews. We apply for your utility rebate and interconnection and show you the numbers before you decide. Get my free quote
Sources: Illinois Power Agency and Illinois Shines (2026-27 REC prices, Small DG payment changes and owner adder, program guidebook); ComEd and Ameren Illinois rebate and virtual power plant terms; EnergySage Illinois cost data (October 2026).
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