How much is the ComEd battery storage rebate?
The ComEd battery storage rebate pays $300 per kWh of nameplate capacity for residential and small commercial customers. It’s a one-time check based only on your battery’s size, not its cost.
A 10 kWh battery earns $3,000. A 20 kWh battery earns $6,000. Larger commercial and industrial systems, outside the residential and Small C&I class, get $250/kWh instead.
| Battery size (nameplate) | Rebate at $300/kWh | Bar |
|---|---|---|
| 10 kWh | $3,000 | |
| 13.5 kWh | $4,050 | |
| 16 kWh | $4,800 | |
| 20 kWh | $6,000 | |
| 2 × 13.5 kWh (27 kWh) | $8,100 |
Illustrative math on ComEd’s published rate. Your real rebate uses your equipment’s nameplate capacity, not these examples. Run your own size through the rebate tool below.
That’s the whole formula: nameplate battery capacity, in kWh, times the rate. ComEd’s filed schedule keeps $300 per kWh for home batteries through December 31, 2029. State law ties the $300 rate to a “threshold date” that can’t come before June 1, 2028.
You don’t have to also claim ComEd’s separate $300/kW solar rebate to collect the storage rebate. The two are filed separately. But your solar system still has to qualify as an eligible distributed generation facility either way.
For what solar itself costs before either rebate, see how much do solar panels cost in Illinois.
Thinking about more than one battery? The rebate scales the same way: nameplate kWh × $300, whatever the total. One 13.5 kWh battery earns $4,050. Two of them (27 kWh) earn $8,100, the blue bar above.
Straight arithmetic on the published $300/kWh rate. It’s not a quote, and not a guarantee your home can fit or interconnect two units. ComEd’s tariff also caps the payment at 5 kWh of battery capacity for every 1 kW of the battery’s participating power. So have your installer confirm the math on a two-unit setup. Two batteries can also mean a bigger payment from ComEd’s virtual power plant. See how that program pays, battery by battery.
Who qualifies for the ComEd battery storage rebate?
Your battery must be paired with a qualifying solar (or other renewable) system. It needs a smart inverter, installed and in operation. And it must sit on property you own, or be installed with the property owner’s permission.
A battery with no solar can’t apply yet. ComEd’s revised tariff, in effect since October 19, 2026, adds a stand-alone battery rebate, but applications open January 1, 2027. And ComEd’s 2026 rebate terms say DG rebates are open to customers who interconnected after August 11, 2022.
- Paired with qualifying solar (or another renewable system)
- A smart inverter, installed and in operation
- Owned by you, or installed with the property owner’s permission
- Solar interconnected after August 11, 2022
- A battery with no solar attached, for now
- A Community Solar subscription you want to keep
- A lease or PPA: the provider usually gets it
If you don’t have solar: read ComEd’s own terms. They define an eligible energy storage facility as one “associated with” a qualifying distributed generation system. In practice, that’s almost always solar. A battery installed with no solar attached doesn’t meet that definition, no matter how it’s marketed to you. Does pairing the two make sense for your home? That’s a separate question: is a home battery worth it in Illinois?
But this rule changed on October 19, 2026. Illinois’ Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA), in effect since June 1, 2026, calls for a stand-alone battery rebate and storage net metering. On September 4, 2026, ComEd filed a revised rebate tariff that adds the rebate. It took effect October 19, 2026. It pays $300/kWh for a battery with no solar that was interconnected after June 1, 2026 and charges only from the grid. ComEd won’t take those applications until January 1, 2027. Its filing also has stand-alone batteries join the virtual power plant, though state law calls that “voluntary” for stand-alone storage. For the law’s other changes, see the Citizens Utility Board (September 14, 2026).
Until then, a battery-only install gets no rebate here. From January 1, 2027, though, it can earn net-metering credit under ComEd’s rewritten rider (more below). If you’re planning one anyway, that interconnection date is worth holding on to.
Already have solar? A battery added to an existing system can qualify. That system has to count as a qualifying distributed generation facility under ComEd’s terms. That means it was interconnected after August 11, 2022, with a conforming smart inverter. The battery has to meet the same inverter requirement. Confirm your interconnection date with ComEd before you buy the battery on the strength of the rebate.
Adding a battery after June 1, 2026? Then ComEd’s net-metering rate rule applies too: what changed on September 14. The rebate tool below covers the add-on case in one read.
Lease or PPA? With a lease or solar power agreement (PPA), the provider owns the battery. So the rebate typically goes to the provider. That’s part of how solar and a battery come with no upfront cost. Ask how the rebate is reflected in your monthly payment or rate. You’d ask an Illinois Shines Approved Vendor the same thing about REC value in your contract price. How lease, PPA and purchase compare over the full term is on solar lease vs. buying in Illinois.
Still deciding on solar? Run the 60-second house-fit check, or see how many solar panels you’d need. In an HOA? See whether an HOA can block solar panels.
What does taking the rebate commit you to?
Two things, on two different clocks: five years in ComEd’s virtual power plant, and a Qualifying Utility Product for the life of the battery.
Since June 1, 2026, state law and ComEd’s 2026 rebate terms make Scheduled Dispatch Virtual Power Plant (SDVPP) participation a condition of the storage rebate. During the five-year term, ComEd can call on your battery on summer weekday afternoons. The supply rule comes from the rebate’s own terms. Neither is a one-time decision like the check itself.
“The retail customer associated with a qualified energy storage facility must agree to participate in ComEd’s Scheduled Dispatch Virtual Power Plant (SDVPP) Program for the required SDVPP term, in order for such energy storage facility to qualify for a rebate.”
ComEd Distributed Generation Rebate Terms and Conditions, 2026 edition, re-read in full October 14, 2026. ComEd’s Distributed Generation Rebates page carries the same condition (confirmed September 15, 2026).
Changed October 19, 2026. ComEd’s revised rebate tariff, in effect since that day, has no Qualifying Utility Product rule. ComEd’s posted 2026 terms still had it when we last checked, on October 14, 2026. Ask ComEd in writing which version applies to your application. One rule stays either way: a battery connected on or after June 1, 2026 needs an hourly or time-of-use supply plan to keep net metering.
- Rider SDVPP: a program term of five consecutive Seasons (June 1 – September 30)
- A dispatch window of 4–6 pm Central on weekdays
- ComEd pays $10 per kW-Season for your battery’s average output during events, measured at its inverter (state law sets $10 as the floor)
- No minimum injection commitment
- The battery must stay fixed in place for the whole term
Outside that window, the battery works for your home as it normally would.
- Electric supply from ComEd under a Qualifying Utility Product
- You keep one for as long as the storage facility exists
- You pick which one. Under ComEd’s current tariff, Hourly Pricing, Time of Day Pricing and Delivery Time of Day pricing all qualify
This clock has no published end date. ComEd’s revised tariff, in effect since October 19, 2026, leaves it out. What that means.
Weekdays, 4–6 pm Central, June 1 to September 30. The other 22 hours, the battery works for your home. Source: Rider SDVPP.
The date that decides which clock applies to you: June 1, 2026. A storage rebate received on or after that date makes SDVPP participation mandatory. A rebate paid before that date, or no rebate at all, leaves participation voluntary. The rider’s December 31 opt-out belongs to voluntary participants only. Nobody else spells this out, and it’s the single most useful thing to know before you sign.
ComEd’s own 2026 rebate terms give March 1, 2027 as the program’s anticipated effective date. That’s the same outer bound the tariff sets. ComEd hadn’t opened enrollment as of October 14, 2026, and CUB reports ComEd is working toward a spring 2027 launch.
- A dollar figure for leaving early
- What happens if you sell the house during the term
- Any enrollment cap
- How a dispatch works if the power goes out. The rider says nothing about outages or backup reserve.
The full rider, read line by line: the ComEd virtual power plant guide.
Is there a rate-plan requirement for the ComEd battery rebate?
Yes. ComEd requires anyone who takes the storage rebate to enroll in a Qualifying Utility Product. You must stay on it for the life of the battery. It doesn’t have to be hourly pricing.
State law now says a rebated battery “has the option to participate in either an hourly pricing program or time-of-use rate program.” ComEd’s current tariff defines Qualifying Utility Products to include three options:
“...must take electric power and energy supply from ComEd under any Qualifying Utility Product, and agree to continue to take electric power and energy supply under a Qualifying Utility Product for the life of the energy storage facility, in order for such energy storage facility to qualify for a rebate.”
ComEd Distributed Generation Rebate Terms and Conditions, 2026 edition, re-read in full October 14, 2026
If you land on Rate BESH specifically, that’s a bigger commitment than it sounds. Your ComEd supply charge would move with wholesale prices, hour to hour. Most customers pay a flat rate instead. And that lasts for as long as you keep the battery.
If you also have solar, Hourly Pricing changes how your export credits get calculated, too. Before you choose, see our net metering guide. Or get the full details on our ComEd Hourly Pricing + solar page.
If hour-to-hour prices worry you, the time-of-day options are the alternative. Compare them on ComEd’s pricing pages. ComEd says a Time of Day switch “may take two to three billing cycles” to start. Hourly Pricing changes start with a new billing cycle. Confirm your choice with ComEd in writing.
Every ComEd price change since 2024 is on our Illinois electric rate tracker. Bill already high? See why your ComEd bill is so high, or what the average Illinois home pays.
One thing this requirement is not: a rule of the virtual power plant. Rider SDVPP has no hourly-pricing rule of its own. The supply-product clock comes from the rebate terms. ComEd’s net-metering rider now has a similar rule for batteries connected on or after June 1, 2026. See what changed on September 14.
Can a rebated battery charge from the grid?
Yes, since September 14, 2026. ComEd rewrote its net-metering rider, Rider POGNM. Now a battery paired with solar may charge from your panels, the grid or both.
Before that, a net-metered battery could charge only from its own solar. The rebate itself hasn’t changed: it still requires the solar pairing.
The same rewrite added a rate rule of its own. It covers any battery connected on or after June 1, 2026. That battery must stay on an hourly or time-of-day supply plan to keep net metering. The plan can be ComEd’s or a retail supplier’s. It’s separate from the rebate’s life-of-battery supply condition. But ComEd’s Hourly Pricing or Time of Day Pricing satisfies both.
“The retail customer serviced by any Energy Storage System that interconnected on or after June 1, 2026, must take service under a QSP and remain on a QSP in order to remain eligible for service under the terms of this rider.”
ComEd Rider POGNM, 4th Revised Sheet No. 295.1, effective September 14, 2026, read September 28, 2026. A QSP (Qualifying Supply Product) is ComEd’s Hourly Pricing, its Time of Day Pricing, or a retail supplier’s time-of-use product.
One more date matters if you’re weighing a battery without solar. From January 1, 2027, a battery that charges only from the grid can earn net-metering credit. The same rate rule applies. For this rebate, ComEd’s stand-alone version takes applications from January 1, 2027, under the revised tariff in effect since October 19, 2026.
- DG rebates cover customers who interconnected after this date (ComEd’s 2026 rebate terms).
- Pre-2025 solar with full-retail net metering keeps it with the storage rebate alone.
- Rebates received from here on require the five-year virtual power plant. New batteries need an hourly or time-of-day plan to keep net metering.
- The ICC approved Rider SDVPP.
- ComEd files a revised rebate tariff that adds a stand-alone battery rebate.
- Solar-paired batteries may charge from the grid (Rider POGNM).
- The revised rebate tariff took effect. It leaves out the rate-plan rule.
- Batteries without solar can earn net-metering credit, and ComEd starts taking stand-alone rebate applications. Next
- The virtual power plant’s anticipated effective date (ComEd’s 2026 rebate terms). CUB reports a spring 2027 launch target.
- The earliest “threshold date” when state law lets the $300 rate end.
- Last day of ComEd’s filed $300-per-kWh schedule. For 2030, solar-paired home batteries are “TBD by Commission.”
Compare the three ways to get a home battery in ComEd territory: solar + battery, battery only, or a supplier bundle. How ComEd credits what you export: ComEd net metering, explained. What stays on the bill either way: will I still get an electric bill after solar?
How do you apply, and how fast does ComEd have to pay?
You can apply as soon as your interconnection agreement is signed. State law lets a battery owner apply then and receive the rebate value in effect that day. Once the application is complete and the system is operating, ComEd’s tariff gives it 60 days to pay.
- Get it in writingBefore you sign
- Sign and applyValue locks that day
- Install and interconnectThen permission to operate
- Get paidWithin 60 days
- Keep the commitmentsVPP and rate plan
The steps, in order:
- 1Before you sign anything, get the conditions in writing.
Confirm the installer is an Illinois Shines Approved Vendor (five minutes, here’s how). Check that the inverter conforms to ComEd’s required smart-inverter settings. Your contract should state who receives the rebate and which Qualifying Utility Product you’ll be enrolled in. It should also say that SDVPP participation is required. What else to check in the quote. If you finance it, check the loan for dealer fees.
- 2Sign the interconnection agreement, and apply.
State law lets a battery owner apply the day the interconnection agreement is signed. You receive the rebate value in effect that day, as long as the system is interconnected and gets permission to operate. That’s worth knowing, since ComEd’s filed schedule lists $300 only through 2029. The application is online, through ComEd’s interconnection portal. Customers can register there, as well as contractors. Installers usually file it; ask for a copy. ComEd’s terms require an itemized contractor invoice or purchase receipt with it.
- 3Install, interconnect and pass inspection.
The battery must be paired with a qualifying solar system. ComEd’s 2026 rebate terms say DG rebates are available to customers who interconnected after August 11, 2022. ComEd can inspect rebated equipment. It can also ask for access to it and your project documents for up to a year after it pays. Your town’s permit usually comes first: see solar permits in Chicago or in Aurora.
- 4The payment clock starts.
ComEd’s tariff gives it 60 days to pay once three things are true. Your application is complete. ComEd has every document it asked for. And the system is operating in parallel with the grid. Is the solar rebate part of the same application? Then the tariff also waits on ComEd’s notice to you about net metering. An incomplete application delays payment or gets it denied.
- 5Receive the check, then keep the two commitments.
Enroll in SDVPP when ComEd opens enrollment; it hadn’t as of October 14, 2026. Stay on your Qualifying Utility Product for the life of the battery. Keep your invoices and approvals on file.
What does taking the ComEd battery rebate cost you?
Five years of virtual-power-plant participation with the battery fixed in place. A Qualifying Utility Product for as long as the battery exists, under ComEd’s posted 2026 terms. And, per the Citizens Utility Board’s reading of ComEd’s tariff, no Community Solar subscription at the same address.
The good news: taking the storage rebate does not cost pre-2025 solar owners their full-retail net metering. The separate solar generation rebate does. And with a lease or PPA, the rebate typically goes to the company that owns the equipment. It’s part of the $0-upfront arrangement.
- Five years in the virtual power plant
- A set rate plan for life
- Community Solar
- Pre-2025 net metering
- Backup power, mostly
- Hourly or time-of-day: your pick
Weigh the two commitments as a pair, not as fine print. Ask what ComEd charges to leave the program early, and what happens on a sale of the house. Neither is published yet. Backup power mostly survives, since dispatch only covers summer weekday afternoons. But the rider says nothing about outages, so ask your installer how much charge the battery will hold in reserve.
Watch out for look-alike offers. Some get called a “rebate” or a “free battery” but tie the battery to a non-utility electricity-supply contract. They are not this ComEd program. They run on very different terms: what those contracts actually say.
In fact, there are now three distinct lanes to a home battery in ComEd territory. Each has its own rules on charging, credits and who gets paid:
See the three lanes, side by side. Not sure whether solar-paired storage fits your home? A two-minute eligibility check can model that against your own roof and usage before you talk to an installer. For the bigger picture, see is solar worth it in Illinois?
Will a rebated battery back up your home in an outage?
Yes, if the system is built for it. A standard grid-tied solar system shuts off when the grid goes down. Running a home without the grid takes solar paired with battery storage, the Department of Energy notes. It also takes an inverter designed for that job.
Taking the rebate doesn’t change that. The virtual power plant doesn’t take backup away, either. Dispatch only covers 4 to 6 pm Central on summer weekdays. And Rider SDVPP says nothing about outages or backup reserve. How much charge the battery holds back is a setting you and your installer choose. Holding more lowers your seasonal virtual-power-plant check, but it breaks no rule.
Outage backup estimator
Set your battery and the power your essentials draw. See about how long the battery could carry them.
Your battery Charge when the outage starts What to add upThe watts are printed on each appliance’s label or in its manual. 500 W is just a starting example.
Without a battery, these go dark the moment the grid does.
A rough estimate: battery kWh × charge ÷ watts. Real run time depends on usable capacity, how often things cycle, the inverter and the weather. Nothing you pick is saved or sent.
- Which circuits the battery will run in an outage: a few essentials or the whole home
- How much charge it keeps in reserve during dispatch season
- How ComEd’s program handles a dispatch during an outage, which ComEd hasn’t published
Is backup alone worth a battery? That’s its own question: is a home battery worth it in Illinois? For storms and snow, see how solar handles an Illinois winter and whether solar panels survive hail.
Does the battery rebate stack with other Illinois incentives?
Yes. The storage rebate stacks with ComEd’s separate $300/kW solar Distributed Generation rebate. It also stacks with Illinois Shines renewable energy credits.
Illinois Shines pays $80.77 per REC in ComEd territory for program year 2026–27, on systems up to 10 kW AC. It pays $20 more per REC if you own the system outright. These are three distinct value streams on the same system, each with its own rules. See the full stack in one place on Illinois solar incentives 2026.
- ComEd storage rebateOne-time check from ComEd.$300per kWh of battery
- ComEd solar DG rebateA separate one-time check.$300per kW of solar
- Illinois Shines RECsThrough your Approved Vendor. ComEd area, 2026–27, up to 10 kW AC.$80.77per REC, +$20 if you own it and claim no federal credit
- Virtual power plant paymentA condition of this rebate, not a bonus.$10per kW-Season delivered
- Federal Section 25D creditEnded for expenditures after December 31, 2025. What’s left.EndedDec. 31, 2025
The frist two are one-time checks from ComEd. Shines pays for RECs under a 15-year contract: for new 2026 projects, half at energization and the rest “ratably over the subsequent 6 years.” The virtual power plant pays after each Season.
For the solar side of that math, see our ComEd Solar Rebate guide. This page covers storage only.
The virtual-power-plant payment is a fourth stream, and a different kind. It’s a condition of this rebate, not a stacking bonus. It pays at least $10 per kW of your battery’s average output during dispatch hours, measured at its inverter, once a year. The ComEd Virtual Power Plant guide works the payment example through. Also see does solar raise property taxes?
Ameren pays the same $300 per kWh for homes, under the same state law. But its conditions and paperwork are its own. Start with the Ameren virtual power plant guide, or see both utilities side by side on Illinois battery incentives, explained. Ameren also credits solar exports differently: Ameren net metering, explained.
| For a home battery | ComEd | Ameren Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Storage rebate | $300 per kWh | $300 per kWh |
| Virtual power plant | Rider SDVPP: five Seasons, $10 per kW-Season | Its own program and terms |
What would the rebate mean for your home?
Three steps, answered from ComEd’s own published terms: your battery size, the gates to clear, and the two commitments. Nothing is sent until you choose to start the eligibility check. This runs in your browser.
Step 1 · Your rebate and your cost
Rebate math on ComEd’s published $300/kWh rate. Pick your battery, then add your installed price if you have one.
Battery size (nameplate) How many batteries?Add your installed price to see what you’d pay after the rebate.
Skip the rebate and you pay $4,050 more for the same battery.
Nameplate kWh × $300, ComEd’s filed home rate through 2029. Not a quote. Assumes you own the battery. Have your installer confirm the kWh-to-kW cap on a large setup. Nothing you type is saved or sent.
Steps 2 and 3 · Your eligibility and your commitments
Eligibility answers come straight from the Distributed Generation Rebate Terms and Conditions. Seven taps.
Ready to see the real numbers for your home? The free eligibility check looks at your roof, battery plans and utility together. It says so if solar-paired storage isn’t a fit.
See my solar + battery numbersThe terms, in plain English
- DG Rebate
- ComEd’s Distributed Generation Rebate. It’s the umbrella program that pays both the $300/kW solar rebate and the $300/kWh storage rebate.
- Nameplate capacity
- The rated size of your equipment, in kW for solar or kWh for a battery, as stated by the manufacturer. The rebate is calculated on this, not on what the system cost or what it’s worth.
- Scheduled Dispatch Virtual Power Plant (SDVPP)
- ComEd’s program, approved by the Illinois Commerce Commission on June 30, 2026. It pays enrolled battery owners $10 per kW-Season for the battery’s average output during events, on summer weekday afternoons. Participation is a condition of any storage rebate received on or after June 1, 2026.
- Program Term and Season
- The term is five consecutive Seasons; a Season runs June 1 to September 30. The dispatch window is 4–6 pm Central, Monday through Friday, during the Season. The battery must stay fixed in place for the whole term.
- Qualifying Utility Product
- The ComEd rate options that satisfy the storage rebate’s life-of-battery requirement. ComEd’s current tariff defines them to include Hourly Pricing (Rate BESH), Time of Day Pricing (Rate BEST) and Delivery Time of Day pricing. ComEd’s revised rebate tariff, in effect since October 19, 2026, leaves the rule out.
- Qualifying Supply Product
- The net-metering rider’s rate rule for batteries connected on or after June 1, 2026. You need ComEd’s Hourly Pricing, its Time of Day Pricing, or a retail supplier’s time-of-use product. You keep it for as long as you want net metering. It’s separate from the rebate’s Qualifying Utility Product. But ComEd’s hourly and time-of-day options satisfy both.
- Rider POGNM
- ComEd’s net-metering tariff. The September 14, 2026 rewrite lets a solar-paired battery charge from the grid. It adds the supply-product rule above. And from January 1, 2027, it lets a battery without solar earn net-metering credit.
- Rate BESH
- ComEd’s hourly-priced supply rate (Basic Electric Service Hourly), one Qualifying Utility Product among others. On it, solar export credits are valued at hourly market prices. They apply against the cost of your bill rather than supply alone. How that works.
- Owner or operator
- State law pays the rebate to the system’s “owner or operator,” including third-party-owned systems. With a lease or a solar power agreement (PPA), that’s usually the provider. A battery bought with a loan belongs to you.
- Community Solar
- A subscription to a shared, off-site solar array rather than panels on your own roof. The Citizens Utility Board, citing ComEd’s tariff, treats this and the storage rebate as mutually exclusive.
ComEd Battery Storage Rebate FAQ
Does ComEd's battery rebate require solar panels?
Yes, for applications filed before January 1, 2027. ComEd’s $300/kWh storage rebate applies to battery systems paired with a qualifying renewable-generation facility. In practice, that’s almost always solar. ComEd’s revised tariff, in effect since October 19, 2026, adds a $300/kWh stand-alone rebate for a battery interconnected after June 1, 2026 that charges only from the grid. ComEd won’t accept those applications until January 1, 2027. Until then, solar pairing is required.
Can I add a battery to solar I already have and still get the rebate?
Yes, if the existing system counts as a qualifying distributed generation facility under ComEd’s terms. ComEd’s 2026 rebate terms say DG rebates are available to customers who interconnected after August 11, 2022. Both the solar system and the battery must use an inverter that conforms to ComEd’s required smart-inverter settings. Confirm your interconnection date with ComEd before you buy the battery on the strength of the rebate.
How much does a typical home battery earn from the ComEd rebate?
The rebate is $300 per kWh of nameplate capacity, calculated on battery size, not battery cost. A 10 kWh battery earns $3,000. A 13.5 kWh battery (a common size class) earns $4,050. A 20 kWh battery earns $6,000. Two batteries earn roughly double, since the rebate simply scales with total nameplate kWh.
Is the ComEd battery rebate going down in 2030?
It may. ComEd’s filed rebate schedule keeps $300 per kWh for home batteries through December 31, 2029. For 2030, it lists $250 per kWh for a stand-alone battery and leaves the solar-paired rate “TBD by Commission.” State law ties the $300 rate to a “threshold date” that can’t come before June 1, 2028. Your rate locks when you apply at the signing of your interconnection agreement, as long as the system then gets permission to operate.
Do I have to join ComEd's virtual power plant to get the battery rebate?
Yes, for any storage rebate received on or after June 1, 2026. ComEd’s 2026 rebate terms say the customer must agree to participate in its Scheduled Dispatch Virtual Power Plant for the required term. That’s five consecutive Seasons of summer weekday dispatch, with the battery fixed in place. ComEd pays $10 per kW-Season for the energy you deliver. Rebates paid before June 1, 2026 didn’t carry the requirement. Joining stays voluntary for anyone who never took the rebate.
Is ComEd's virtual power plant enrollment open yet?
Not as of October 14, 2026. The Illinois Commerce Commission approved Rider SDVPP on June 30, 2026. The tariff requires service to begin no later than March 1, 2027. CUB reports ComEd is working toward a spring 2027 launch. But enrollment dates, any cap, and the process haven’t been published. Taking the rebate now means agreeing to enroll when it opens. We re-check the day ComEd announces it.
Will my battery still back up my home in an outage if it's in ComEd's virtual power plant?
Most of the time, nothing changes. Rider SDVPP only counts your battery’s output from 4 to 6 pm Central. That’s on weekdays between June 1 and September 30. It sets no minimum injection, and it says nothing about outages or backup reserve. The payment is based on your average injection during those hours. So holding more charge back for outages lowers your seasonal check rather than breaking a rule. ComEd hasn’t published how a dispatch works if the power goes out. Ask your installer how the backup reserve will be set, and get ComEd’s answer in writing.
What is a Qualifying Utility Product, and do I have to stay on it forever?
It’s the ComEd rate option you must enroll in to keep the storage rebate. You stay on it for the life of your battery. ComEd’s current tariff defines Qualifying Utility Products to include Hourly Pricing (Rate BESH), Time of Day Pricing (Rate BEST) and Delivery Time of Day pricing. ComEd’s revised tariff, in effect since October 19, 2026, leaves this rule out, and state law now calls hourly or time-of-use pricing an “option.” Ask ComEd in writing which version applies to you, and compare the plans against how your household uses power.
Can my rebated battery charge from the grid?
Yes, since September 14, 2026. ComEd rewrote its net-metering rider, Rider POGNM. Now a battery paired with solar may charge from the panels, the grid or both. Before that, a net-metered battery could charge only from its own solar. The rebate itself still requires the solar pairing.
Do I need a special rate to keep net metering with a battery?
If the battery was connected on or after June 1, 2026, yes. ComEd’s rewritten net-metering rider requires an hourly or time-of-day supply plan to stay on net metering. The plan can be from ComEd or a retail supplier. That’s separate from the rebate’s life-of-battery supply condition. But ComEd’s Hourly Pricing or Time of Day Pricing satisfies both.
Can a battery without solar get net metering from ComEd?
Starting January 1, 2027. Under ComEd’s rewritten rider, a battery with no solar that charges only from the grid becomes eligible for net-metering compensation that day. The same hourly or time-of-day rate rule applies. This rebate is different: it requires solar until ComEd’s stand-alone version opens to applications on January 1, 2027.
What if I sell my house during the five-year virtual-power-plant term?
ComEd hasn’t published what happens. The rider requires the battery to stay fixed in place for the whole program term. The December 31 opt-out applies to voluntary participants only. And no early-exit dollar figure or sale provision has been published. Get ComEd’s answer in writing before you sign. If a move inside five years is likely, weigh the rebate against that gap rather than assuming it transfers. For what a sale means for the solar and your net metering, see selling a house with solar in Illinois.
Will taking the battery rebate affect my net metering?
Not on its own. If you installed solar before January 1, 2025 and still have full-retail net metering, taking the storage rebate alone won’t cost you that status. It’s the separate solar generation rebate that ends full-retail netting; the storage rebate doesn’t. Separately, since September 14, 2026, ComEd’s net-metering rider requires an hourly or time-of-day supply plan for any battery connected on or after June 1, 2026. So confirm with ComEd how that applies to your account before you add one.
Can I get the battery rebate if I lease my battery or have a PPA?
Not directly. With a lease or solar power agreement (PPA), the provider owns the battery, so the rebate typically goes to the provider. That’s part of how these offers come with no upfront cost. Ask how the rebate is reflected in your monthly payment or rate.
Does the battery rebate come automatically with the solar $300/kW rebate?
No. They’re filed as separate applications, and you don’t have to claim the solar generation rebate to claim the storage rebate. Your underlying solar system still has to qualify as an eligible distributed generation facility either way.
When can I apply for the ComEd battery rebate?
As early as the day your interconnection agreement is signed. State law lets a battery owner apply then and receive the rebate value in effect that day. You keep it as long as the system is interconnected and gets permission to operate. The application is online, through ComEd’s interconnection portal, which registers customers as well as contractors. Installers usually file it.
How long does the ComEd battery rebate check take to arrive?
ComEd’s tariff requires it to pay within 60 days once its conditions are met. Those are a complete application, every document it asked for, and a system operating in parallel with the grid. If the solar rebate is part of the same application, the tariff also waits on ComEd’s notice to you about net metering. An incomplete application delays payment or gets it denied.
Can I still get the battery rebate if I'm on a Community Solar plan?
Probably not. The Citizens Utility Board’s March 2026 fact sheet says that, under ComEd’s tariff, customers who receive a battery storage rebate can’t also participate in a Community Solar subscription. We couldn’t find that rule in ComEd’s 2026 rebate terms, so confirm it with ComEd before you choose.
Is the ComEd battery rebate the same thing as Illinois Shines?
No. They’re different programs with different payers. The battery rebate is a one-time payment direct from ComEd. Illinois Shines pays for renewable energy credits through your Approved Vendor, separately, under a 15-year contract. For projects approved from June 1, 2026, Shines pays half at energization and the rest “ratably over the subsequent 6 years.” Many systems qualify for both.
Is the ComEd battery rebate taxable?
It may be. ComEd’s 2026 rebate terms say rebates may be taxable under federal and state tax codes. They also say a rebate over $600 will be reported to the IRS unless you show you’re exempt. A typical $4,050 battery rebate clears that line. This isn’t tax advice; ask your tax preparer how it applies to you.
Is there a federal tax credit for a home battery in 2026?
Not for a battery you buy. The residential clean energy credit (Section 25D) covered home batteries of at least 3 kWh. It ended for expenditures after December 31, 2025, and that holds for cash and loan purchases alike. A leased battery can still carry a separate federal business credit. So can one installed under a service agreement with the company that owns it. The 2025 tax law left that credit on a longer timeline for batteries than for solar, under stricter sourcing rules. The company that owns the equipment claims it. So ask whether a given offer still qualifies and whether its price reflects it. The full timeline is on did the solar tax credit end? Illinois has no state solar or battery tax credit either: does Illinois have a state solar tax credit?
What size battery gets the biggest ComEd rebate?
ComEd’s rebate tariff caps the storage payment at 5 kWh of battery capacity for every 1 kW of the battery’s participating power. It also caps it at 25,000 kWh in total. Projects whose interconnection application was filed and paid before June 1, 2026 get a higher 150,000 kWh limit per meter. Home batteries come nowhere near either cap. Within those limits, the rebate scales with nameplate kWh at $300/kWh. A bigger battery, or a second one, earns a bigger one-time check. But it also means a bigger upfront system cost. So read the rebate as an offset, not a reason to oversize. Have your installer confirm the kWh-to-kW math on a large setup.
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Sources
Sources (20)
- ComEd — Distributed Generation Rebates (viewed September 21, 2026: rebate rates, the storage conditions, the August 11, 2022 interconnection rule, the online application and the Qualifying Utility Product enrollment links)
- ComEd Distributed Generation Rebate Terms and Conditions, 2026 edition (PDF) (re-read in full October 14, 2026: the Qualifying Utility Product supply requirement, the SDVPP participation condition and its March 1, 2027 anticipated effective date, the “associated with” energy-storage definition, the $300/$250 rates, the August 11, 2022 interconnection rule, and the $600 tax-reporting line)
- ComEd Schedule of Rates, 2026 ratebook (PDF) — Rider DG REBATE (Sheet Nos. 245–248.5; read September 21, 2026; it wouldn’t fully load for us on October 14, 2026: the storage availability rule and the Qualifying Utility Product definition)
- ComEd Rider SDVPP — Scheduled Dispatch Virtual Power Plant Program, ICC filing 399541 (program term, Season, dispatch window, $10/kW-Season rate, fixed-in-place requirement; the rider has no provision on outages or backup reserve)
- ComEd Schedule of Rates, Ill. C.C. No. 10 (PDF) — Rider POGNM (Sheets 294–295.1, effective September 14, 2026; read September 28, 2026: grid charging for solar-paired storage, the Qualifying Supply Product rule for storage connected on or after June 1, 2026, and net-metering compensation for stand-alone storage from January 1, 2027)
- U.S. Department of Energy — Solar Integration: Inverters and Grid Services Basics (what it takes for a solar-plus-battery system to run without the grid)
- Illinois Public Utilities Act, 220 ILCS 5/16-107.6 (Illinois General Assembly; current text read October 14, 2026: subsection (c)(2): $300 per kWh until the “threshold date,” no earlier than June 1, 2028, then $250 per kWh for stand-alone storage, and the hourly or time-of-use option; subsection (e): the virtual power plant’s $10-per-kW floor and its 80-day, 2-hour limits; subsection (g): applying at the interconnection agreement and payment within 60 days)
- Solar and Storage Rebates in Illinois — Fact Sheet (Citizens Utility Board, March 2026: why the storage rebate doesn’t end legacy net metering, and the Community Solar exclusion; partly outdated, since it still says ComEd requires Rate BESH)
- Citizens Utility Board — Upcoming CRGA Programs (September 14, 2026: the stand-alone battery rebate and storage net metering, the June 1, 2026 applicability expectation, and the spring 2027 VPP launch target; no newer CUB update as of October 14, 2026)
- ComEd interconnection portal — login and registration page (viewed September 21, 2026 without logging in: customers and contractors can both register)
- Illinois Shines — Disclosure form update: utility storage disclaimer (May 29, 2026; read October 14, 2026: power a battery sends during scheduled events “may be used onsite by the customer or sent to the grid”)
- ComEd — Rider DG REBATE, revised sheets and Informational Sheet No. 48, advance copy (PDF) (filed with the ICC September 4, 2026, effective October 19, 2026; read October 14, 2026: the stand-alone battery rebate and its January 1, 2027 start, the 2027–2029 and 2030 rates, the kWh caps, the value lock at signing and the 60-day payment)
- Illinois Commerce Commission — Regular Open Meeting agenda, October 8, 2026 (item E-2, ERM #26-152, Commonwealth Edison’s rebate filing: “Do Not Suspend the Filing”; read October 19, 2026)
- Illinois Public Utilities Act, 220 ILCS 5/16-107.5 (current text read October 14, 2026: storage net metering and the hourly or time-of-use supply rule)
- Illinois Power Agency — Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (read October 14, 2026: Public Act 104-0458, signed January 8, 2026, in effect June 1, 2026)
- ComEd news release — virtual power plant approval (June 30, 2026, via Business Wire) (read October 14, 2026: ICC approval, program expected in 2027)
- ComEd news release — Time of Day Pricing (July 23, 2026, via Business Wire) (read October 14, 2026: the “two to three billing cycles” switch time)
- Illinois Commerce Commission, Plug In Illinois — Price to Compare: ComEd (read October 14, 2026: 10.103¢ per kWh from October 1, 2026 through May 31, 2027)
- Illinois Shines — Small Distributed Generation (read October 14, 2026: payment of 50% at energization and the rest over six years, and the $20 customer-owned adder)
- Illinois Shines — Final 2026–27 REC Prices (PDF) (read October 14, 2026: $80.77 per REC for ComEd-area systems up to 10 kW AC)
Changelog · last updated October 25, 2026 · 10 updates
- October 25, 2026: Added a link to our new guide on the Base Power battery in Illinois.
- October 19, 2026: ComEd’s revised rebate tariff took effect October 19, 2026; the Illinois Commerce Commission chose not to suspend it (October 8 agenda). Changed “set to take effect” to in effect throughout, moved the timeline’s “Next” to January 1, 2027, and added the Commission’s agenda as a source.
- October 14, 2026: Re-checked every figure against ComEd’s 2026 rebate terms, its revised rebate tariff (filed September 4, 2026), state law as amended by the CRGA, Illinois Shines and the IRS. Added the stand-alone battery rebate ComEd filed (applications from January 1, 2027) and the October 19 rate-plan change. Corrected the $300 schedule (ComEd’s filed rate runs through 2029; the law’s “threshold date” can’t come before June 1, 2028), the payment caps (ComEd’s tariff, not state law) and how the virtual power plant measures output. Removed a 24-month window that today’s law and tariff don’t set, and attributed the Community Solar rule to the Citizens Utility Board. New design, same answers in shorter sentences, with a rebate and cost calculator, an outage backup estimator, a restyled eligibility check, charts and more Illinois guides.
- September 28, 2026 (later the same day): Added ComEd’s September 14, 2026 net-metering changes (grid charging for solar-paired batteries, a supply-plan rule for batteries connected on or after June 1, 2026, and net metering for batteries without solar from January 1, 2027), with new sections on grid charging and backup power, three new FAQs and two glossary terms; re-read ComEd’s 2026 rebate terms in full, with both on-page quotes confirmed word for word; added ComEd’s October price as the benchmark for the rate options; reworded the lease and PPA answers; linked the Ameren net metering, bill-after-solar, dealer-fee and state tax credit guides, plus the free-battery offers and Ameren virtual power plant in Related answers.
- September 28, 2026: Removed a duplicate copy of the ComEd solar rebate guide that had been appended below this page; added answers on backup power during virtual-power-plant events, whether the rebate is taxable, and the federal tax credit on batteries in 2026; the rebate tool now separates adding a battery to solar you already have from pairing it with new solar; re-checked virtual-power-plant enrollment (still not open) and the pending standalone-battery rebate (still awaiting ICC-approved tariffs).
- September 21, 2026: Read ComEd’s tariff (Rider DG REBATE, 2026 ratebook) and the storage provisions of Section 16-107.6: corrected “ComEd sets no guaranteed date” (its tariff requires payment within 60 days once an application is complete and the system is operating) and when you can apply (at the signing of the interconnection agreement, which locks the rebate value, not after energization); named the qualifying rate options the tariff now defines; added the statute’s $300-through-2029 rate and its payment limits, the online application, and the DG Rebate desk contacts; trimmed the Ameren comparison to a pointer to the Ameren guides; 2026 Terms and Conditions re-read in full.
- September 15, 2026: Added the pending standalone-battery change (rebate and storage net metering directed by the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act; ComEd expects the standalone rebate to apply to batteries interconnected on or after June 1, 2026, pending ICC tariff approval, per CUB); updated virtual-power-plant status with CUB’s spring-2027 launch target; linked the three battery lanes and the solar-only charging rule; the 2026 Terms and Conditions read in full at the direct PDF and both on-page quotes re-verified at primary source; figures re-verified — Ameren’s bulletin last confirmed September 3.
- September 3, 2026: Added the virtual-power-plant condition (mandatory for rebates received on or after June 1, 2026) and what it commits you to; corrected the Ameren comparison to the SD VPP gate; rewrote how-to-apply as steps; replaced the checker with a three-step rebate tool; re-verified every figure at source.
- August 7, 2026: Corrected the rate-plan requirement: ComEd’s terms require any Qualifying Utility Product, not Rate BESH specifically. Added a 1-vs-2-battery rebate comparison, an eligibility checker, and a glossary.
- July 21, 2026: v1 published.
How to cite: The Day Company review team, “How does the ComEd battery storage rebate work?,” The Day Company, updated October 19, 2026. https://theday.company/answers/comed-battery-storage-rebate
The Day Company is not a government agency, utility, ComEd, Ameren, Citizens Utility Board, PJM, MISO, Illinois Shines, the Illinois Commerce Commission, or the IRS, and does not imply affiliation with or endorsement by any of them. Utility names identify service territories only. Nothing here is tax, legal, or financial advice. Rebate figures are illustrative arithmetic on ComEd’s published rate, not a quote or a guarantee; eligibility is determined by ComEd under its own terms. The backup estimate is a rough guide, not a promise of run time. Rate figures are point-in-time and were last reviewed in October 2026; verify current rates with your utility or the Citizens Utility Board.