Solar Panel Cost in Illinois
Solar prices in Illinois vary house to house. Here's what moves the number, and a free call to get yours.
Call to see if your home qualifies(877) 565-3409Home Solar Line connects you with an independent solar provider. We don't sell or install anything ourselves. Calls may be recorded.
- Free call
- No forms to fill out
- Independent local providers
- No obligation
Who this is for
Check all five before you call:
- You own the home (not renting)
- It's a single-family house or townhouse
- The roof gets full sun or only light shade
- Your power bill is over $100 a month
- The home doesn't already have solar panels
Renting, in a condo, apartment or mobile home, under heavy shade, or already have panels? This line can't help with those, so please don't call.
What happens when you call
- Answer a few quick questionsDo you own the home, how much is your power bill, how sunny is the roof.
- Get connectedIf your home fits, you're put through to an independent solar provider who serves your area.
- Talk it through, then decideThey look at your roof and usage and explain options. No obligation to buy.
What solar costs depend on in Illinois
In Illinois, the conversation often starts with whether you are a ComEd or Ameren customer, since the details differ.
There's no single price for solar in Illinois. Your roof, shade, usage and utility decide what a system costs and what it can save.
What moves the price of solar in Illinois
Your utility and its export credit
Illinois has run a state program, Illinois Shines, that pays for the renewable energy credits a home system produces. Program rules and open capacity change, so ask a provider what is currently available.
Sun and seasons
Hot summers and cold, cloudier winters, with good production from spring through early fall.
Equipment for Illinois weather
The issues that most often change the equipment or the mounting in Illinois are short winter days and snow. Ask what the quote includes for them.
Who delivers your power
Illinois has retail electric choice, so your bill may list an alternative supplier. Net metering is still handled by ComEd, Ameren Illinois or your municipal utility or co-op.
The usual cost factors
- Roof size, direction and pitch, and how much of it is shaded.
- How much power the house uses in a year, which sets the system size.
- Panel and inverter choices, and whether you add a battery.
- Roof condition, electrical panel upgrades, permits and interconnection.
- Whether you pay cash, take a loan, or sign a lease or PPA.
Have this handy when you call
- A recent bill from your utility, or a rough idea of your monthly amount in summer and winter
- The rough age of your roof and what it's made of
- Whether trees or buildings shade the roof during the day
- Whether you are in an HOA
- Your ZIP code
Ready to find out if your home is a fit?
One free call. Tell a provider about your roof and your bills, and decide from there.
Who this is for
Check all five before you call:
- You own the home (not renting)
- It's a single-family house or townhouse
- The roof gets full sun or only light shade
- Your power bill is over $100 a month
- The home doesn't already have solar panels
Renting, in a condo, apartment or mobile home, under heavy shade, or already have panels? This line can't help with those, so please don't call.
Questions
How is extra solar power credited in Illinois?
Illinois has run a state program, Illinois Shines, that pays for the renewable energy credits a home system produces. Program rules and open capacity change, so ask a provider what is currently available.
Which utilities serve homes in Illinois?
ComEd in the north, Ameren Illinois in central and southern Illinois, and municipal utilities and co-ops. ComEd in the north, Ameren Illinois in central and southern Illinois, and municipal utilities and co-ops each set their own rates and rules for homes with solar, overseen by the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC).
Are you a solar company?
No. Home Solar Line is a free phone line that connects homeowners with independent solar providers. We don't sell, design or install systems, and we don't set prices.
Does the call cost anything?
No. The call is free, and there's no obligation to buy anything from the provider you talk to.
Who qualifies?
Homeowners in a single-family house or townhouse with a roof that gets full or mostly full sun, a power bill over $100 a month, and no solar panels already. If that's not you, the provider won't be able to help.