Is solar worth it in Illinois in 2026?
Short answer: for most owner-occupied ComEd and Ameren homes, yes — even though the federal tax credit ended. Illinois’ own incentives went up, electricity rates keep climbing, and a lease or PPA still captures the 30% federal value. Here’s the honest math.
The federal tax credit ended. The rest of the story got better.
Here’s the bad news first — then the part most headlines skip.
What Illinois still pays you to go solar.
Federal credit aside, Illinois is still one of the stronger solar states — because the value comes from several stacked sources, not a single credit.
Illinois Shines (SRECs)
One upfront payment based on 15 years of the Renewable Energy Credits your system is expected to produce — and 2026–27 values rose. It’s paid to your approved installer, who passes the value through your project. See the full 2026 Illinois incentive stack. Illinois Shines →
ComEd & Ameren rebate — $300/kW
A smart-inverter rebate paid directly to you: $300 per kW of solar and $300 per kWh of battery (about $2,100 on a 7 kW system), stackable on top of Illinois Shines. One caveat — taking it locks you into supply-only net metering, which for any 2026 install is already the default. Source →
Net metering (supply-only)
You still earn bill credits for the power you send back. For systems installed after January 1, 2025, those credits apply to the supply and transmission parts of your bill — which makes pairing solar with a battery and using more of your own power especially valuable. Source →
Property & sales tax breaks
Illinois excludes the added home value from your property tax assessment, and solar equipment is exempt from state sales tax — savings that land immediately and last the life of the system. Source →
Lease or PPA — the credit reaches you as a lower payment.
- A lease or PPA provider owns the system, claims the commercial federal credit, and prices that value into your monthly payment.
- No large upfront cost, and the provider handles design, install, and the paperwork.
- This path is time-sensitive — the commercial credit has its own federal deadline, so the window to lock it in is now.
You don’t have to buy to benefit.
Because cash and loan purchases no longer earn a federal credit in 2026, most Illinois homeowners now capture the federal value through a lease or PPA — while still stacking the Illinois Shines payment, the utility rebate, and net metering on top.
A review checks whether a lease, PPA, or ownership actually fits your roof, usage, and goals before anyone quotes a number. No promised savings — just the real options for your home.
The real question isn’t the tax credit. It’s your next 25 years of bills.
Every month on the grid is a bill at a rate that keeps rising — here’s why Illinois rates spiked. The calculator below shows what staying put could cost over 25 years — and how much solar and battery could offset — using your actual bill and public Illinois rate data. It’s an honest estimate, not a quote.
See what doing nothing could cost you.
Match it to your home and watch the chart move. Every figure is an honest estimate — and you control every assumption behind it.
A starting estimate from typical Illinois usage. Know your real bill? Switch to “I know my bill” for a closer number.
An assumption you control — not a prediction. Illinois supply prices recently jumped far more than this in a single year.
The share of your power a well-sized system might cover. Most good-fit homes land near 80–100%.
(estimate, before system cost)
How these estimates work. Figures are illustrative estimates, not a quote, guarantee, or promise of savings. The 25-year cost compounds your monthly bill at the annual increase you select. The “offset” figure is the gross share of that utility cost a system might cover — capped at 100% of your bill, and it does not include system price, financing, taxes, or incentives, which a full review covers. System size is a rough estimate using standard Illinois solar production. When estimating from home size, we assume typical Illinois usage of about 0.40 kWh per sq ft each month for gas-heated homes and 0.75 for electric-heated homes, at an estimated all-in rate of ~16.5¢/kWh (ComEd) or ~15.5¢/kWh (Ameren). Your real numbers depend on your home, roof, shade, usage, system design, and final terms. Rate data last reviewed June 2026 — sources: Plug In Illinois and the Citizens Utility Board.
See whether those 25-year numbers can actually work for your home.
You’ve run the math. The next step is a quick eligibility check to see if solar and battery is worth a serious look for your specific ComEd or Ameren home — no pressure, no obligation.
Check my eligibility →Solar isn’t right for every house. Here’s the honest filter.
Owner-occupied, with a roof and property you control — the cleanest fit for a long-term solar decision.
The Illinois incentives and rate math are built for these territories, and higher usage makes the numbers more meaningful.
South- or west-facing and not heavily shaded. A review confirms whether yours produces enough to be worth it.
You rent, you’re moving very soon, your roof is heavily shaded or near end of life, or your bill is very low. Honesty saves everyone time.
Illinois solar in 2026, answered.
Did the solar tax credit really end? +
Yes. The federal 30% residential credit (Section 25D) expired December 31, 2025. Homeowners who buy a system with cash or a loan in 2026 receive no federal tax credit. The value is still available indirectly through a lease or PPA, where the system owner claims the commercial credit and passes it through as lower payments.
Is solar still worth it in Illinois without the federal credit? +
For most owner-occupied ComEd and Ameren homes, yes. Illinois Shines REC payments rose for 2026–27, the utilities still pay a $300/kW rebate, net metering still credits your exports, and rising rates increase the value of self-generated power. The exact math depends on your home — the calculator above gives an honest estimate.
How can I still get the 30% in 2026? +
Through a lease or PPA. The provider owns the system, claims the commercial federal credit, and prices that value into your monthly payment. This path has its own federal deadline, so the window is time-sensitive.
Is solar better in ComEd or Ameren territory? +
Both qualify for Illinois Shines, the rebate, and net metering, but the supply rates, rebate details, and net-metering math differ between the PJM-served ComEd region and the MISO-served Ameren region. That’s why the first step is confirming which utility serves your home.
What’s the payback period in Illinois now? +
It varies by home, roof, usage, system size, and financing — and without the federal credit for cash buyers, payback is generally longer than it was. Illinois’ incentives and rising rates push the other way. We don’t promise a number; a full review gives you a real one for your home.
Will solar raise my property taxes? +
No. Illinois law excludes the added value of a residential solar system from your property tax assessment, so you can gain home value without a higher tax bill.
Get your honest Illinois solar numbers — in about 60 seconds.
You’ve seen the 2026 math. The next step is a quick eligibility check to see whether solar and battery is worth a serious look for your specific ComEd or Ameren home. No pressure, no obligation.