Solar Answers → Batteries & Virtual Power Plants
Is a home battery worth it in Illinois?
For backup power, yes: a battery is the only way to keep your lights on in an outage. For money alone, usually not yet. In our example, a battery adds about $14,700, the $300-per-kWh rebate pays back $4,050, and savings plus utility payments come to about $143 a year. The rebate also comes with strings: five summers of utility dispatch, and at ComEd an hourly or time-of-day rate for the battery’s life. You don’t need a battery to go solar.
Most battery advice skips the money math or hides the strings. This page does both: an honest payback estimate, what the rebate commits you to at each utility, and a five-question check for your home.
Independent public sources we cite and link — The Day Company is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of them. We are an Illinois solar and battery information resource and a lead-generation business.
Home batteries in Illinois: the key numbers
Swipe the table sideways to see every column →
| Key number | Figure | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Storage rebate | $300 per kWh ($4,050 on a 13.5 kWh battery), ComEd and Ameren | ComEd rebate terms, Ameren Rider CGR |
| Typical home battery | 13.5 kWh | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory |
| What a battery adds to a solar price | About $2.10 per watt of solar (about $14,700 on 7 kW) | Berkeley Lab, 2025 cash purchases (mostly California) |
| Virtual power plant pay | $10 per kW a summer, about $50–$70 a year | ComEd Rider SDVPP, Ameren Rider SD VPP |
| Dispatch commitment for the rebate | 5 summers, 4–6 p.m. weekdays, June–September | Both utilities’ tariffs |
| ComEd rate condition | Hourly or time-of-day rate for the battery’s life | ComEd 2026 rebate terms |
| Ameren rate condition | None; keep your current supply | Ameren Rider SD VPP |
| Battery design life | About 15 years, 85% round-trip efficiency | National Renewable Energy Laboratory |
| Federal credit for batteries you own | Ended December 31, 2025 | IRS |
Should you add a battery? Five questions
Answer five quick questions and you’ll see which case fits you: backup buyer, rebate-driven, or not yet. Nothing you pick leaves your browser.
1. Who is your electric utility?
2. Do you have solar, or a system planned?
3. Is there anything in your home that can’t lose power?
4. ComEd’s rebate keeps you on an hourly or time-of-day rate for the battery’s life. Is that OK?
5. Do you expect to own this home in five years?
Want this checked against your real usage? The free eligibility check looks at your home, your utility and your bill, and tells you when a battery isn’t worth it yet.
Check my eligibility →This reflects program rules verified September 29, 2026. It’s a starting point, not a recommendation or an application. Confirm terms with your utility in writing.
Does a home battery pay for itself in Illinois?
On money alone, not yet. In our example, a battery earns back about a quarter of its cost over its 15-year life. Here’s the math, so you can check it.
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| 13.5 kWh battery with 7 kW of solar | ComEd | Ameren |
|---|---|---|
| What the battery adds to the price | $14,700 | $14,700 |
| $300-per-kWh rebate | −$4,050 | −$4,050 |
| Your net cost | $10,650 | $10,650 |
| Savings from using stored power instead of sending it back | about $93 a year | about $96 a year |
| Virtual power plant payments | about $50 a year | about $50 a year |
| Total money back each year | about $143 | about $146 |
| Money back over 15 years (prices rising 3.8% a year) | about $2,583 | about $2,642 |
Our math. Battery price: Berkeley Lab found paired solar-and-battery systems cost about $2.10 more per watt of solar than solar alone for cash buyers in 2025, and about 80% of that data comes from California, so treat it as a rough guide. Solar output uses the state’s estimate (13% capacity factor for ComEd, 15% for Ameren), and 30% of it would be sent to the grid without a battery, as on the state’s disclosure form. The battery stores that 30% with 85% efficiency. Virtual power plant pay assumes about 5 kW during dispatch. Get your own battery price in writing to run it for your home.
Why so little? Illinois now credits power you send back at the supply price, about 10¢ per kWh. A battery lets you use that power at night instead, saving about 16.5¢ with ComEd. But you lose some power storing it, so each stored kWh is worth only about 4¢ more. On a typical home, that’s under $100 a year. The math can improve on ComEd’s Hourly Pricing, where stored power can be used in the priciest hours: ComEd Hourly Pricing with solar.
Do you need a battery with solar in Illinois?
No. Solar works fine without a battery in Illinois. It isn’t required to connect to the grid, to join Illinois Shines, or to get the solar rebate.
If someone tells you your panels “won’t work” without a battery, or that you need one to qualify, that’s not true. Slow the conversation down. If you’re unsure, ask for a “battery-ready” system, wired so a battery can be added later. You’d give up today’s storage rebate terms, but you keep the option. The bill you’d have with solar alone often settles it: your electric bill after solar. And first, check that your roof works: is your house good for solar?
Is a battery worth it just for backup?
For some homes, that alone settles it. Solar panels shut off when the grid goes down, to protect line workers. A battery is the only way to keep essentials running during an outage.
Backup matters most if something in your home can’t lose power: medical equipment, a well pump, a sump pump in a finished basement, or a home office. In that case, you’re buying a capability, like a generator, and the rebate is a discount on it. Two tips: make sure the quote includes a backup setup with a critical-loads panel, because it isn’t automatic. And ask what runs and for how long, in plain terms: “the fridge, furnace fan and Wi-Fi, overnight.”
What does the $300 rebate commit you to?
Both utilities pay $300 per kWh, and both require five summers of dispatch in a virtual power plant. The big difference: ComEd also requires an hourly or time-of-day rate for the battery’s life. Ameren doesn’t.
Swipe the table sideways to see every column →
| The commitment | ComEd | Ameren Illinois |
|---|---|---|
| Rebate | $300 per kWh | $300 per kWh |
| Solar required for the rebate | Yes, for now | Yes |
| Rate condition | Hourly Pricing, Time of Day or Delivery Time of Day, for the battery’s life | None; keep your current supply |
| Dispatch commitment | 5 summers | 5 summers |
| Dispatch window | 4–6 p.m. weekdays, June–September | 4–6 p.m. weekdays, June–September |
| Pay | $10 per kW each summer | $10 per kW each summer |
| Early-exit penalty | None in the tariff | None in the tariff |
| If you sell the house mid-term | Not addressed in the tariff | Not addressed in the tariff |
ComEd: 2026 rebate terms and Rider SDVPP. Ameren: Rider SD VPP and Rider CGR. Time of Day prices are set in advance by time block, so they’re predictable; Hourly Pricing moves with the market. Full details: the ComEd battery rebate and Ameren’s virtual power plant and rebate.
None of this makes the rebate a bad deal. It makes it a decision, not free money. A battery bought without the rebate carries no dispatch or rate commitment at all. Every Illinois battery incentive in one place: Illinois battery incentives.
Not sure which case you’re in?
Free, about a minute, no obligation. The check looks at your usage and your utility, and tells you when the answer is no.
Check my eligibility →How much does a virtual power plant pay?
About $50 to $70 a summer on a typical battery. Both utilities pay $10 per kW, based on how much power your battery sends out during dispatch hours.
A 13.5 kWh battery can send out at most about 6.75 kW over the two-hour window, which caps the pay near $68 a season. ComEd’s program starts by March 1, 2027; Ameren requires rebate customers to join by the same date. Neither has opened sign-ups yet, and neither tariff has an early-exit penalty. Both count hours before you enroll as zero for the season, so join before a summer starts. How it works: ComEd’s virtual power plant.
How does net metering change battery value?
Since January 1, 2025, new solar homes get credit for power they send back at the supply price, not the full retail price. That’s what gives a battery some value.
With ComEd at October 2026 prices, using a kWh from the grid costs about 16.5¢: 10.103¢ supply, 6.228¢ delivery and 0.126¢ tax. Sending a kWh back earns the supply price, about 10.1¢, which includes transmission. So storing power to use at night saves about 6.4¢ per kWh before losses, or about 4¢ after them. With Ameren, the gain is smaller in winter and larger in summer. Full rules: ComEd net metering and Ameren net metering.
What about $0-down or “free” battery offers?
They’re real, but the company owns the battery. It collects the rebate and a federal business tax credit, and earns from grid programs.
You get backup power and often a lower bill, usually with a monthly fee and a long contract. Read who controls the battery, what you pay each month, and what happens when you sell. How these work: free home battery offers, explained. Solar works the same way: lease or buy solar? Compare the cost.
Should you buy a battery now or wait?
There’s no rush from the virtual power plant. The date that matters is the rebate: $300 per kWh runs through December 31, 2029, then drops to $250.
Two changes are coming that could help homes without solar. ComEd expects a standalone battery rebate for batteries connected on or after June 1, 2026, once the Illinois Commerce Commission approves it. And starting January 1, 2027, a battery without solar can earn ComEd net-metering credit. Both were still pending as of September 29, 2026. Waiting costs you the backup you’d have in the meantime; buying now costs more than waiting might. Neither is a promise.
What should you ask before adding a battery?
Nine questions, in writing. How calmly a company answers tells you a lot.
- What does the battery cost on its own, per usable kWh?
- If I take the rebate, am I agreeing to five summers of dispatch? (Yes, at both utilities.)
- At ComEd, which rate am I agreeing to, and for how long? (Hourly, Time of Day or Delivery Time of Day, for the battery’s life.)
- What will that rate do to my bill in a hot summer?
- What will the virtual power plant pay me? ($10 per kW. If a projection shows much more, ask why.)
- What happens if I sell the house before the five summers are up?
- Will it power my home in an outage, which circuits, and for how long?
- What’s the warranty’s length and its use limit? You need both.
- Does the savings math include a federal tax credit? For a battery you own, that credit ended after 2025.
More ways to check any quote: how to vet a solar quote and dealer fees on solar loans.
Home batteries in Illinois: FAQ
Is a home battery worth it in Illinois?
For backup power, yes: it’s the only way to keep power on in an outage. For money alone, usually not yet. In our example, a battery adds about $14,700 to a solar system, the rebate pays back $4,050, and savings plus utility payments come to about $143 a year, about a quarter of the net cost over 15 years.
Do you need a battery with solar in Illinois?
No. Solar works without a battery in Illinois. A battery isn’t required to connect to the grid, join Illinois Shines or get the solar rebate. If you’re unsure, ask for a battery-ready system so one can be added later.
Do solar panels work in a power outage without a battery?
No. Grid-tied solar shuts off when the grid goes down, to protect utility line workers. Without a battery and a backup setup, your panels sit idle during a blackout, even on a sunny day.
How much is the battery rebate in Illinois?
$300 per kWh of battery capacity at both ComEd and Ameren, or $4,050 on a typical 13.5 kWh battery. The battery must be paired with solar for now, and the rebate goes to whoever owns the equipment.
Does the ComEd battery rebate lock me into a rate?
Yes. You must stay on a qualifying ComEd rate for the life of the battery: Hourly Pricing, Time of Day or Delivery Time of Day. Time of Day prices are set in advance, so they’re predictable. You must also join ComEd’s virtual power plant for five summers.
Is Ameren’s battery rebate different from ComEd’s?
Same $300 per kWh and the same five summers of dispatch, but no rate condition. You keep your current supply. Rebate customers must be in Ameren’s program by March 1, 2027.
How much does a home battery cost in Illinois?
Berkeley Lab found that paired solar-and-battery systems cost about $2.10 more per watt of solar than solar alone for cash buyers in 2025. That’s about $14,700 on a 7 kW system, before the $300-per-kWh rebate. Most of that data comes from California, so get Illinois quotes priced per usable kWh.
How long does a battery take to pay for itself?
On money alone, longer than it lasts. In our example, the net cost is about $10,650 and the battery returns about $143 a year, while its design life is about 15 years. Backup power, not savings, is usually the reason to buy one.
How much does a virtual power plant pay in Illinois?
$10 per kW each summer at both ComEd and Ameren, based on how much power your battery sends out from 4 to 6 p.m. on summer weekdays. That’s about $50 to $70 a year on a typical 13.5 kWh battery.
Can I get the battery rebate without solar?
Not today. Both utilities require a rebated battery to be paired with solar. ComEd expects a standalone battery rebate for batteries connected on or after June 1, 2026, once the Illinois Commerce Commission approves it, and battery-only net metering is set to start January 1, 2027. Both were pending as of September 29, 2026.
Is there a federal tax credit for home batteries?
Not for batteries you own. The 30% homeowner credit ended for spending after December 31, 2025. Companies that own batteries in $0-down deals can still claim a business credit, which helps them price those offers.
Are free home battery offers real?
The battery can come with no upfront cost, but a company owns it. It collects the rebate and a federal business credit, and earns from grid programs. You usually pay a monthly fee under a long contract, so read who controls the battery and what happens when you sell.
How long do home batteries last?
National lab modeling uses about a 15-year design life and 85% round-trip efficiency, at about one cycle a day. Ask any installer for both the warranty’s length and its use limit, because one without the other tells you little.
Should I buy a home battery now or wait?
There’s no rush from the virtual power plant, which pays only about $50 to $70 a summer. The date that matters is the rebate: $300 per kWh runs through December 31, 2029, then drops to $250. If backup matters to you now, that’s the reason to act.
Related answers
Bills: Illinois electric rates · the average electric bill · why ComEd bills are high · why Ameren bills are high · the October 1 reset
Incentives: every Illinois incentive · Illinois Shines · the ComEd solar rebate · the federal tax credit · the state tax credit myth · solar and property taxes
Your home: what size system you need · roof requirements · shade · hail · winter · HOA rules · selling a house with solar
Buying: verifying an installer · Chicago permits · Aurora permits · solar in Peoria · the ComEd solar guide · Illinois solar facts
See whether a battery fits your home.
Your usage, your utility, your roof, and a straight answer, including when a battery isn’t worth it for you yet.
Free eligibility check · ComEd & Ameren · No obligationThe Day Company is an Illinois solar and battery information resource and a lead-generation business. Information you submit may be used by our review team and one authorized partner to contact you about your request. Checking eligibility creates no obligation, and nothing on this site is a quote or a guarantee. How we’re funded and how we source figures: our editorial standards.
Sources
Sources · 12 documents behind this page
- ComEd — 2026 DG Rebate Terms and Conditions (PDF) — $300 per kWh, the qualifying-rate condition for the battery’s life, and the virtual power plant requirement
- Illinois Commerce Commission — ComEd Rider SDVPP filing (PDF) — $10 per kW each summer, the dispatch window and the five-year term
- Ameren Illinois — Rider SD VPP (Sheet Nos. 68–68.005) and Rider CGR (Sheet Nos. 59–59.005) — $10 per kW, five summers, no rate condition, the March 1, 2027 date, and the $300-per-kWh rebate
- Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory — Distributed Solar and Storage, 2026 Data Update (PDF) — $5.10 vs. $3.00 per watt for paired vs. solar-only cash purchases, and the 13.5 kWh median battery
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory — Annual Technology Baseline, Residential Battery Storage — 15-year design life and 85% round-trip efficiency
- Citizens Utility Board — Upcoming CRGA programs (September 14, 2026) — the pending ComEd standalone battery rebate and battery-only net metering
- Citizens Utility Board — ComEd’s new fall price (September 28, 2026) — 10.103¢ per kWh from October 1
- Citizens Utility Board — 2026 rate guide — delivery and tax charges for both utilities
- ComEd — 2025 net metering bill explainer (PDF) — export credits that offset the supply and transmission charges
- Illinois Commerce Commission — ComEd net metering credit filing (PDF) — the credit calculated from the supply charge plus transmission
- Illinois Shines — net metering changes FAQ — supply-only credits for systems connected from 2025
- Internal Revenue Service — FAQs on Public Law 119-21 — the end of the homeowner credit, which covered batteries
How to cite this page: The Day Company, "Is a home battery worth it in Illinois?", theday.company/answers/solar-battery-worth-it-illinois, last reviewed September 29, 2026.
Update triggers: this page is revised when either utility opens virtual power plant sign-ups, when the Commission approves ComEd’s standalone battery rebate, when rebate terms change, and when supply or delivery prices reset.
Changelog · last updated September 29, 2026 · 4 updates
- September 29, 2026 — Rebuilt for homeowners. Added an honest money-only estimate using Berkeley Lab’s 2025 battery price data. Updated the savings math to October 2026 prices. Corrected the virtual power plant estimate to about $50–$70 a summer, and corrected ComEd’s export credit, which includes transmission. The decision tool now explains that ComEd’s rate condition can be met with a Time of Day rate, which has set prices. Added $0-down battery offers and the coming battery-only net metering. Rewritten in plain English with a share row, tap-to-open sources and changelog, links to every related guide, and a site-wide header and footer update. This page now also covers our former blog post on whether you need a battery with solar.
- September 16, 2026 — Both virtual power plant tariffs published and read in full; corrected ComEd’s rebate condition to the Qualifying Utility Product requirement; added the decision tool and the utility comparison.
- July 2026 — Corrected the self-consumption math to ComEd’s published delivery charges.
- July 30, 2026 — Published.