Solar doesn't make sense for every house in Illinois. Find out if it makes sense for yours.
The same house in Lake Zurich and Joliet can need different systems to produce the same power. ComEd rates, Illinois Shines blocks, permit timing, roof profile — every variable shifts the answer. Most marketing skips that part. We don't.
Find your city
Solar economics vary by utility, county, and permit office. Start with where you live.
Your city not listed? Get the numbers for your specific house →
What changed in 2026
The four shifts every Illinois homeowner needs to know before any installer pitches.
- 1The federal residential clean energy credit ended Dec 31, 2025.Public Law 119-21 (the One Big Beautiful Bill) repealed the credit for installations completed after 2025. Competitors still quoting "30%" are out of date. Read more →
- 2Illinois Shines is still open, but the program year window closes May 26, 2026.SRECs are paid at $75.48 per certificate for systems up to 10 kW in ComEd territory. Read more →
- 3ComEd's supply rate is elevated through May 2026 and trending up.The June 2026 capacity adjustment is expected to push the supply rate higher. Solar economics shift accordingly.
- 4An "Illinois 25% state solar tax credit" is making the rounds online. It doesn't exist.We checked nine primary sources including the Illinois Department of Revenue. No such credit is in statute. Read more →
Where the numbers come from
Every cost figure, production estimate, and incentive on this site cites a primary source — NREL, EIA, DSIRE, the Illinois Power Agency, ComEd tariff filings, or the Illinois Commerce Commission. Every page shows when its information was last verified. Where sources disagree, we say so.