How does Illinois Solar for All: Residential Solar program work?

The Residential Solar program gives income-eligible households access to residential solar installations with no upfront costs and guaranteed savings.

This is made possible by providing incentives for the Approved Vendors who develop the solar installations allowing them to pass along savings to the participating households.

The incentives that Approved Vendors receive come from selling Renewable Energy Credits (RECs). RECs represent the environmental value of the electricity generated from solar panels, but not the electricity itself. ILSFA Approved Vendors are paid by the sale of the system’s RECs, which enables the Approved Vendor to pass along savings to the homeowner.

Learn more details on the value of Renewable Energy Credit (REC) payments.

Who can participate in the Residential Solar program?

Income-eligible households can participate.  Learn more about participating on our For Homeowners and Building Owners page.

For large multifamily buildings where households do not pay separately for their electricity, tenants must receive benefits indirectly (through reduced rents, stabilized rents, unit upgrades, or other means) or directly through a subscription to the system, which generates energy bill credits. The property owner or manager must demonstrate how they will commit to ensuring those benefits for tenants.

If you are interested in participating, the next step is to contact an ILSFA Approved Vendor. An updated list of Residential Solar offers (Ofertas Solares Residenciales) from some of our Approved Vendors will be available soon. ILSFA solar projects must be submitted by an Approved Vendor that will ensure the project meets all program requirements.

Households that do not qualify for ILSFA may be able to receive incentives for a residential solar array through another solar incentive program, Illinois Shines. For more information about Illinois Shines, visit IllinoisShines.com/.

What are the benefits to participants in the Residential Solar program?

Income-eligible participants will have no upfront costs and any ongoing costs or fees will not be more than 50% of the value participants get from their system. (For example, if a participant receives $100 worth of electricity from their system in a month, the Approved Vendor can’t charge them more than $50 that month.)

Additional information can be found in the Residential Solar brochure (folleto Solar Residencial).

What kind of property is suitable for a Residential Solar project?

For roof installations:

• The roof must be in good condition and will not need to be replaced within 15 years.
• The roof should be relatively free from shading or other obstructions.
• A modern electrical panel must be present.

For ground mount installations:

• The foundation will need to be able to support the solar array.
• The foundation cannot be a high flood risk.

This is not an exhaustive list and a complete site assessment will need to be conducted by an ILSFA Approved Vendor. If you don’t currently have a newer roof or electrical panel, but plan to install one soon, make sure to let your Approved Vendor know. ILSFA solar projects must be submitted by an Approved Vendor and meet all consumer protection guidelines and other program requirements as outlined in the Approved Vendor Manual. Contact an Approved Vendor if you are interested in participating.

My home requires repairs before installing solar. Does the program help find resources for repairs?

The Illinois Solar for All program has compiled a list of external programs you can contact for potential financial support for home repairs.