Lake Zurich, IL · Lake County
What rooftop solar costs in Lake Zurich
A 7 kW residential rooftop system — typical for a single-family home in Lake County — costs between $19,600 and $23,800 installed in ComEd territory in 2026, before any incentives. That's roughly $2.80–$3.40 per watt, which matches the most recent national benchmark.
The math we use
Every per-house number below comes from a primary source — NREL for sunlight and production, ComEd's tariff sheet for the rate, the Citizens Utility Board's 2026 rate report for the bill components, and the Illinois Power Agency for the SREC value.
- System size we use
- 7 kW DC nameplate
- Sunlight at this latitude (NSRDB GHI)
- 3.88 kWh/m²/day
- Annual production (PVWatts, 20° tilt south)
- 9,234 kWh/year
- ComEd total residential rate (2026)
- 17.07¢/kWh
- ComEd Price to Compare (supply only)
- 9.7¢/kWh
- Estimated annual energy savings
- $1,576/year (offset value)
- Permit timeline (Lake Zurich)
- 4-6 weeks
- Lake County average residential bill
- $138/month
The federal credit, in 2026
The federal residential clean energy credit that helped homeowners through 2025 is no longer available for cash- or loan-financed systems placed in service in 2026 or later. The One Big Beautiful Bill (Public Law 119-21, signed July 4, 2025) ended it on December 31, 2025 — with no phase-down period. Any solar quote you receive in 2026 that includes a federal credit in the bottom-line price for a purchase or loan is overstating your savings.
Illinois Shines — the state-level offset
Illinois Shines is the state-administered program that pays solar owners an upfront lump sum based on projected production. For a 7 kW system in ComEd territory, the projected 15-year SREC value at the 2025–26 program rate ($75.48 per certificate, 0–10 kW Group B) is roughly $10,455. The 2025-26 program year window closes May 26, 2026 at 5:00 PM CPT.
Where these numbers come from
- NREL National Solar Radiation Database (NSRDB), ZIP-level GHI for Lake Zurich. Source: nsrdb.nrel.gov · accessed 2026-05-13
- NREL PVWatts v8 production model — 20° tilt, 180° azimuth, 14% losses, fixed rack. Source: pvwatts.nrel.gov · accessed 2026-05-13
- ComEd 2026 residential rates, all-in: 17.07¢/kWh total, 9.6¢/kWh Price to Compare. Source: Citizens Utility Board, 2026 Rates Report · accessed 2026-05-13
- Illinois Shines 2025–26 REC pricing: $75.48 per certificate, 0–10 kW ComEd territory. Source: Illinois Power Agency · accessed 2026-05-13
- One Big Beautiful Bill (P.L. 119-21) ending the residential clean energy credit December 31, 2025. Source: IRS Residential Clean Energy Credit · accessed 2026-05-13
Get a real number for your specific house
These numbers are typical-case math. Your actual cost depends on roof orientation, shade, current electric usage, and which installers are bidding. Two ways forward: