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Consumer FAQs

General

A project appears on the waitlist when Program capacity for project applications in a specific Group (A or B) and category (e.g., Community Developed Community Solar or EEC Distributed Generation) has been depleted for this Program Year. As a result, new project applications submitted to the Program are added to a waitlist for the next Program Year or in limited cases, when additional capacity may become available prior to that. Waitlisted projects receive priority consideration when additional capacity becomes available, most commonly when the next Program Year begins.

(Updated January 2026)

Waitlisted projects are reviewed in the order they were submitted when additional capacity becomes available at the start of a new Program Year. It is also possible that capacity becomes available when one or multiple  projects of the same or greater size are withdrawn. A project application will be reviewed for compliance with Program requirements only after being selected from the waitlist. Because the rate of withdrawals is unknown, it is not possible to determine if or when a project may be selected from the waitlist prior to the start of a new Program year. 

Waitlists can be viewed on the Illinois Shines Block Capacity Dashboard page across all the Program’s project categories. 

(Updated January 2026)

Each Program Year, Illinois Shines allocates incentives for a specific amount of capacity for new solar projects. When the capacity for the current Program Year has been fully depleted for that group and project category, the Program begins a waitlist for that group and project category, with priority review for waitlisted projects occurring when more capacity becomes available (at the associated REC price), most commonly when the next Program Year begins. The exhaustion of Program capacity does not mean that Illinois Shines or the state have run out of Program funds to support future projects. New capacity is released for all Program categories at the start of each Program Year, which occurs annually in June. 

(Updated January 2026)

Another Approved Vendor could obtain the rights to your project’s Illinois Shines Program REC contract, but only with the consent of your original Approved Vendor. Please see Section 9.2 of the 2019 REC Contract and Section 13.1 of the 2021, 2022, and 2024 REC Contracts.

(Updated January 2026)

Yes, customers may still purchase, install, and finance solar projects during the current Program Year, even if the capacity associated with the project category has been depleted. When the vendor submits the project application, the project will be placed on a waitlist, and waitlisted projects may be allocated capacity at the associated REC price in the new Program Year. 

(Updated January 2026)

There are two ways you can participate in Illinois Shines: 
 

1)  Have solar panels installed on your roof or property and contract an Approved Vendor that will apply for the Program on your behalf; or  

2) Participate as a subscriber to a community solar project —which allows you to receive benefits associated with your share of a large, centralized solar project. You do not need to install solar on your home, business, or property to subscribe to a community solar project. More information about the Program’s Traditional Community Solar and Community-Driven Community Solar categories can be found on the Explore Community Solar page. 

(Updated January 2026)

All project applications are submitted to the Program by Approved Vendors. New project applications are accepted on a rolling basis pursuant to fulfillment of Program requirements and subject to block capacity and waitlists. The Program’s Block Capacity Dashboard and waitlists can be viewed on the Block Capacity Dashboard page. 

(Updated January 2026)

All applications must be submitted by an Approved Vendor. Customers may not submit applications and should find an Approved Vendor to work with. 

  • For small systems that have already been built (and energized after June 1, 2017), if your installer does not become an Approved Vendor or does not work with an Approved Vendor, you will need to choose an Approved Vendor from the Approved Vendor list to submit a project application on your behalf. Each Approved Vendor may offer you different terms and you should review multiple offers and choose carefully. 
  • Find an Approved Vendor on the Find an AV, Designee or Subcontractor page. 
  • Systems must comply with all Program requirements, which may require retroactive adjustments to the system or agreements with the installer. Systems in the Program must have been installed by an individual who is a “Qualified Person” as defined in Section 16-128A of the Illinois Public Utilities Act and Title 83, Part 468 of the Illinois Administrative Code.

 

(Updated January 2026)

No, you are not required to participate in the Program in order to install a new solar photovoltaic system on your property. You can indicate to your installer that you do not wish to participate in Illinois Shines. If you want to keep the RECs from your solar photovoltaic system or sell them outside the Illinois Shines program, you can talk about that with your installer. However, the funding available through Illinois Shines is likely to make a system installed under the umbrella of the Program more affordable than if not. 

(Updated January 2026)

Projects in the service territories of rural electric cooperatives, municipal electric utilities, and Mt. Carmel Public Utility Company are eligible to participate in the Illinois Shines program. More information on requirements applicable to projects in the service territories of rural electric cooperatives or municipal electric utilities can be found in the IPA’s Long-Term Plan or the Illinois Shines Program Guidebook. 

(Updated January 2026)

The Illinois Power Agency Act calls for a cumulative 12,375,000 RECs delivered annually by end of 2030-2031 from solar projects participating in Illinois Shines. As such, the Agency expects the Program to remain open well into the future to support these statutory goals. 

Please see the Block Capacity Dashboard for an update on the capacity available at this time.  New capacity for each new Program Year is released annually in June. 

(Updated January 2026)

Net metering is a policy that allows your distributed generation (on-site) solar project to create additional economic value. Net metering allows you to receive credits on your electricity bill for extra electricity that your solar project generates and sends to the grid. 

If your solar project makes more electricity than you are using, the electricity flows to the grid. On the other hand, if you use more electricity than your project is generating at any specific time, you will pull electricity from the grid. Your electric utility will “net out” the extra electricity that your project sends to the grid against the electricity that you pull from the grid. Projects installed after 1/1/2025 operate under supply-only net metering. Customers can receive either kwh credits that apply to their supply charges, or monetary credits based on supply rates. This is analogous to paying for only the “netted out” supply, but customers still pay for delivery charges on all electricity pulled from the grid. 

(Updated January 2026)

Net metering is a policy that allows your distributed generation (on-site) solar project to create additional economic value. Net metering allows you to receive credits on your electricity bill for extra electricity that your solar project generates and sends to the grid. Each municipal utility and rural electric cooperative has its own policies for how it calculates the value of net metering credits. 

Ask the solar company for information on your utility’s net metering rate, and make sure you understand how this affects the overall financial benefits of a solar project. Your Disclosure Form will contain information that explains how your utility or electric co-operative will credit you for electricity that your project sends back to the grid.  

(Updated February 2024)

Yes, solar systems still produce electricity in the winter months, but production could be significantly lower due to winter’s shorter days, the lower angle of the sun, and snowfall that may occasionally cover your panels.   

If your solar system was designed to offset all your annual electricity usage, it was likely designed to produce excess electricity in summer months, which can balance out lower production experienced in winter months. When your solar project generates extra electricity (which is more likely in summer), the electricity flows back to the grid and you receive credits on your electricity bill, which can roll over to subsequent months. 

Please note that if you are not a customer of ComEd, Ameren, or MidAmerican, excess net metering credits may or may not carry forward. Additionally, keep in mind that the carrying forward of net metering credits only applies to specific rate classes, which can vary depending on utility. Please check with your electric utility to learn more about its specific metering policy. 

 

If you believe that your system is underperforming, please contact your Installer for more information. If you have questions about your Illinois Shines application, please contact your Approved Vendor.  

For more information about net metering specific to each Illinois utility, please click on the following links: ComEd, Ameren, and MidAmerican. 

(Updated January 2026)

The Illinois Shines program is funded through fees collected by Illinois electric utilities from their ratepayers in support of the Illinois Renewable Portfolio Standard. The Illinois Shines program does not rely on any sources of state or federal funding, thus any changes in federal funding (such as rollback of federal clean energy programs) will not impact Illinois Shines funding availability or capacity levels.

Because Illinois Shines is funded through ratepayer collections, and not through the state’s General Revenue Fund, any shortfalls in the state’s budget would not create shortfalls in Illinois Shines.

(Updated February 2025)

The Illinois Shines program was established in 2016 by Future Energy Jobs Act (P.A. 99-0906) and amended in 2021 by the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (P.A. 102-0662). Thus, the Program itself and various requirements for the Program are enshrined in Illinois law.

(Updated February 2025)

Incentive Payments

Your Approved Vendor should be able to keep you updated on the status of your application, and you may view the status of your application by using the project status tool. 

(Updated January 2026)

When submitting a project application to Illinois Shines, the Approved Vendor will include an estimate of how much electricity your solar project will generate based on your project’s size and specifications (to be approved by the Program Administrator), and the incentive payment will be based on this amount. Review your Disclosure Form provided by the project seller, and feel free to discuss this before signing a contract with your Approved Vendor. Make sure you understand whether the Approved Vendor will keep the incentive payment, or whether any will be passed through to you. 

(Updated January 2026)

The most common options are 1) buying the system (i.e., Purchase), 2) leasing the system (i.e., Lease), or 3) signing a Power Purchase Agreement (“PPA”). When deciding on the best option for you, consider:

  • If you’re buying the system, how much will it cost? Will you take out a loan to pay for it and if so, what is the interest rate on the loan and how much will the financing costs be? How do the loan payments compare to projected reductions in your monthly electric bill? Do loan payments begin before your system is interconnected? Do the loan payments escalate over time?
  • If you’re leasing, how much is your monthly lease payment? How does that compare to projected reductions in your monthly electric bill? Do you have to put money down at the start?
  • If you’re signing a PPA, how much is the per kilowatt hour price for the energy produced? How does that compare to your current electricity rate? Do you have to put money down at the start?
  • Does your lease or PPA include an escalation clause that increases the amount of payments over time? If so, by how much do payments increase?
    For many Lease and PPA customers, you will not be able to directly take advantage of the Program incentives because the system is owned by a third party, where a portion of these incentives may be passed on to you in the form of reduced costs.

(Updated January 2026)

Billing and payments for leases or PPAs will be handled between you and your solar provider, not through your electric utility bill. In addition to lease, PPA, or solar loan payments, you will continue to receive an electricity bill from your utility. Net metering credits—credits for excess electricity that your project generates and sends back to the electric grid—will be credited on your utility bill. 

(Updated January 2026)

Your community solar provider may bill you directly for your subscription payment, or your community solar provider may choose to have the subscription charge included on your utility bill. 

(Updated January 2026)

Ameren and ComEd are required to provide an optional “rebate” for customers who install distributed generation and/or battery storage with a smart inverter. This is sometimes called a “distributed generation rebate” or a “smart inverter rebate.” This rebate is available for residential and nonresidential customers. The distributed generation rebate (“DG Rebate”) is separate from — and not dependent on — the Illinois Shines program incentive and is offered directly from the utility.

Solar projects for residential and small commercial customers receive $300/kW for installed solar project capacity. These customers are also eligible for a separate storage rebate calculated at $300/kWh for nameplate capacity for associated energy storage (commonly referred to as “batteries”), described in the following question.

For commercial and industrial customers, the rebate is $250/kW for generation and $250/kWh for energy storage. Taking the rebate does not affect commercial and industrial customers’ net metering rate, which is generally already lower than full retail rate. It also does not affect residential or small commercial customers’ net metering rate if they are already on supply-only net metering.

Make sure you understand who keeps the rebate — you or someone else — and whether there are any special utility rates or programs that you will be required to participate in.

If your solar project was interconnected prior to January 1, 2025, and you choose to take the DG Rebate for generation (regardless of whether you also take the energy storage rebate), you will only receive supply net metering for your electricity (netting of supply and transmission fees), rather than full retail rate net metering. The decision to accept the DG/Smart Inverter Rebate is not reversible; once the DG Rebate is applied for and received, customers cannot return the rebate amount and receive full retail net metering and instead are only eligible for supply-only net metering.

On and after January 1, 2025, customers no longer have the option of full retail net metering and will instead only be eligible for supply net metering, whether or not the customer opts to receive the DG Rebate. Under supply-only net metering, if you send more power to the grid than you pull from the grid, you will receive a credit on your bill for that electricity. Unless you are on hourly pricing (where your electricity rate changes each hour), you can choose whether you want to be credited in kWh (which will then reduce the kWh for which you are charged supply charges in future months), or with monetary credits applied to your bill (calculated based on your electric supply rate). If you have extra credits in a billing period, those credits will roll over to the next month and will not expire. If you are on hourly or real-time pricing, the net amount of electricity sent to or pulled from the grid will be calculated for each hourly period and a monetary charge or credit calculated for each hour. Then the charges and credits will be totaled for the billing period, and a final charge or credit will be applied. Net metering credits for customers on hourly pricing do not expire; they continue to carry over to subsequent periods.

If a residential or small commercial project only takes the DG Rebate (and not the storage rebate, described below), there are no specific requirements for what type of energy supply the customer signs up for.

(Updated January 2026)

ComEd and Ameren provide a rebate for installing energy storage/batteries in conjunction with renewable energy generation. The storage rebate is available for storage systems interconnected with a solar project and is an additional rebate to the distributed generation rebate (“DG Rebate”) described above. Like the DG Rebate, the storage rebate is separate from – and not dependent on – the Illinois Shines program incentive and is offered directly from the utility. 

For residential and small commercial customers, solar projects receive $300/kWh for nameplate capacity for associated energy storage (commonly referred to as “batteries”). For commercial and industrial customers, the energy storage rebate is $250/kWh.  

If you’re a ComEd residential or small commercial customer and take the storage rebate, be aware that you and any successor customers at that location must sign up for real-time (hourly) pricing supply service from ComEd. Larger commercial and industrial customers who take the storage rebate will be required to participate in one or more programs offered through ComEd’s Multi-Year Integrated Grid Plan.  

 

If you’re an Ameren residential or small non-residential customer, and you take a rebate for the storage device, be aware that you and the successor customers at your location will be required to permanently take either supply service under an hourly rate schedule or participate in Ameren’s demand response program. There may be additional optional programs offered in the future for customers receiving a rebate for a storage device. Ameren large commercial and industrial customers that take the rebate for the storage device will also be required to participate in one or more programs offered through Ameren’s Multi-Year Integrated Grid Plan. 

The value of the rebate may change when future rebate values are established through a proceeding before the Illinois Commerce Commission.  

Make sure you understand who keeps the rebate – you or someone else.

(Updated January 2026)

You are not guaranteed to save money unless your contract with your solar provider includes an explicit guarantee. Answers to the questions below will help you assess whether or not you might save money. You can answer some questions yourself, while others can be answered by your solar installer or sales agent. 

  • What per kilowatt-hour rate are you currently paying for electricity? The higher the electricity rate before you go solar, the more money you can potentially save. 
  • Is your roof suitable for solar panels? The direction your roof faces and how much shade it gets will affect how much electricity roof-mounted photovoltaic systems will generate. The roof’s condition should also be considered. 
  • How much electricity will the system generate? If your system produces more electricity than you use over an annual period, you may not receive credit for all the electricity generated. 
  • Will the Approved Vendor pass through any of the Illinois Shines incentive payment to you? The Approved Vendor will be paid by a utility for the Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) that your solar project generates and may use some of that money to directly or indirectly reduce your cost of going solar. 
  • Can you use the federal Investment Tax Credit? If you buy your system, you may qualify for a substantial federal income tax credit. Consult your tax adviser. 
  • How long do you expect to stay in your home or business location? If you lease or sign a PPA, you may be required to buy out the contract if you move. Read your contract to find out what happens if you move.  

For income-eligible customers, please see the Illinois Solar for All program, which ensures that all qualified participants see savings on their energy bills. 

(Updated January 2026)

Renewable Energy Credits (RECs)

One Renewable Energy Credit, or “REC”, is equivalent to 1 megawatt hour of renewable electricity produced. RECs represent the environmental value of the electricity generated from renewable resources like solar panels, but not the electricity itself. Whoever owns the RECs has the right to say they used that renewable power. Utilities must purchase RECs to meet their obligation to supply a certain amount of power from renewable energy. RECs can also be valuable to businesses with sustainability goals. A home solar photovoltaic system might generate 50–200 RECs over 15 years. By participating in Illinois Shines, your Approved Vendor will transfer the RECs from your solar project to an Illinois electric utility. Selling your RECs will not affect your photovoltaic system’s production or your net metering credits. For more information on RECs, see an explanatory video here. 

(Updated January 2026)

“SREC” stands for Solar Renewable Energy Credit. An SREC is a specific type of REC generated by a solar project, as opposed to another type of renewable energy resource (such as wind or hydropower). For the purposes of the Illinois Shines Program, there is no difference between RECs and SRECs since all RECs transferred through the program are solar.  

(Updated January 2026)

REC prices for each Program Year can be found in the Program Guidebook, available on the Program Documents page. 

(Updated January 2026)

No. Although you can keep your RECs or sell them to someone besides utilities, participating in Illinois Shines and thus allowing your RECs to be sold to the utility is likely to be your best financial option. Selling your RECs through this Program will make it more likely that your solar project will save you money. 

(Updated January 2026)

Once your solar project is approved to participate in the Program and is Part II verified, REC transfers happen automatically and electronically for the duration of the project contract  awarded by the Program, typically 15 or 20 years. Your Approved Vendor will take care of the transaction details with the utility that purchases the RECs your system produces. The REC payments may affect the economic terms of your installation transaction, however; you should discuss that with your installer and/or Approved Vendor. Shop around and consider carefully among installers and/or Approved Vendors before making a final decision. 

(Updated January 2026)

By state law, the funds come from the ratepayers of large electric utilities in Illinois. Every utility customer contributes funds through a dedicated line item for renewable energy resources on their monthly electric bill. A utility will use these funds to purchase RECs from your Approved Vendor. 

(Updated January 2026)

If the system produces more than contracted under the REC Contract neither the Approved Vendor nor the customer receives extra REC incentive payments.  

If the system is producing fewer RECs than contracted under the REC Contract, the Approved Vendor might be required to give some portion of any pre-paid REC payments back. Check your agreement to understand if the underproduction of RECs has any implications for you or if your Approved Vendor will seek to recover these costs from you. 

(Updated January 2026)

Solar Project Design and Installation

Factors determining the adequacy of your roof include: its physical condition; the cardinal direction it faces; its angle; and any obstructions that cause shade to fall on the roof, such as nearby trees. Potential installers can help investigate these issues and advise you on whether solar makes sense for you. If roof-mounted panels are not an option for you, ask your AV if a ground-mounted system is possible.  

(Updated January 2026)

A basic list of approvals is as follows:

  • Before installation, you will probably need to get a permit from your local municipality; some customers may also need to gain approval from a Homeowners Association (HOA). Talk to your installer to determine whether the responsibility lies with you or them to talk to the local municipal government. 
  • After installation, many municipalities require an inspection to approve the work. 
  • You or your installer will need to apply to interconnect the system to your electric utility’s distribution system. 
  • In order to receive the full economic benefit of your solar project, you will need to apply to your electric utility or to your alternative retail electric supplier (if you have one) to enroll in net metering.  

For more information about net metering specific to each Illinois utility, please click on the following  ComEd, Ameren, and MidAmerican links. 

(Updated January 2026)

Disclosure Forms

Community Solar, where a customer subscribes to a community solar project located within their electric utility’s service territory.  

There are the four types of Disclosure Forms:   

  • Purchase, where a customer buys, either outright or through a loan, a distributed generation (DG) solar project installed on their property.   
  • Lease, where a customer leases a distributed generation (DG) solar project installed on their property.  
  • Power Purchase Agreement or PPA, where a customer buys electricity generated by a distributed generation (DG) solar project installed on their property. 
    •  

Examples of all four Disclosure Forms can be found on the Disclosure Form Deep Dive page.  

 (Updated January 2026)

The Disclosure Form is a standard document required by Illinois Shines and includes key information about your solar project or community solar subscription. You should review and sign the Disclosure Form before you sign your contract or subscription agreement. The standard format means you can use the Disclosure Form to compare offers from different solar companies. To learn more about Disclosure Forms visit the Disclosure Form Deep Dive page. 

An installation contract or subscription agreement, on the other hand, is a legal agreement between a customer and the Approved Vendor or Designee solar company. Your contract or subscription agreement may include additional information that is not included in your Disclosure Form. Make sure to read both documents carefully. 

Illinois Shines has requirements for what information is to be included in customer contracts. Interested consumers may review the contract requirements here.  

 (Updated January 2026)

For both Distributed generation (DG) solar projects and Community Solar (CS) subscriptions, Approved Vendors and Designees must present a completed Disclosure Form to the customer for their review and signature before the installation contract or subscription agreement is signed. The Disclosure Form includes important information about the proposed solar project. Please review the Disclosure Form in full and ask your solar company to provide any additional information you may need before signing. 

 (Updated January 2026)

Please review the Block Capacity Dashboard to understand the funding available in the current Program Year for each category of projects within the Illinois Shines program. Illinois Shines allocates incentives for a specific amount of capacity for new solar projects for each Program Year, which runs from June through May. The exhaustion of capacity in a particular category for a Program Year does not mean that Illinois Shines or the State have run out of Program funds to support future projects. The Illinois Shines program has waitlists for all Program project categories where capacity is exhausted prior to the close of the Program Year, therefore customers may still purchase, install, and finance solar projects. Waitlisted applications are first in line when new capacity becomes available at the opening of a new Program Year. The waitlisting of an application could delay the Illinois Shines incentive payments, but these delays do not affect other economic benefits that customers receive from net metering, rebates offered by the utilities, or any federal tax incentives.

 (Updated October 2024)

You can direct any questions about the Disclosure Form to your solar provider. The contact information for your solar provider is listed on your Disclosure Form. If you have additional questions or wish to confirm information from your solar provider, please reach out to the Illinois Shines Program Administrator at the email [email protected]. 

 (Updated January 2026)

For a list of companies that participate in the Illinois Shines program from whom you could obtain additional offers, please visit the list of Approved Vendors and Designees. 

You may also be interested in viewing our Consumer Protection resources, which includes consumer complaint information and Program violation information for solar companies participating in the Program. 

 (Updated January 2026)

Net Metering

Net metering credits you for your electricity that your solar project sends to the utility electric grid. If your solar project generates more electricity than you use, the excess electricity flows to the grid and you will receive a credit on your bill for that electricity.

Rural electric cooperatives and municipal electric utilities may limit access to net metering or may offer a different approach for crediting customers for electricity that is sent to the grid.

(Updated July 2024)

Net metering policies and rates under ComEd, Ameren, and MidAmerican for distributed generation (on-site) residential and small commercial solar customers changed on January 1, 2025. Full retail rate net metering is no longer available to residential and small commercial net metering customers interconnecting new renewable energy systems as of January 1, 2025. 

Customers that have systems installed that are already receiving full retail rate net metering will continue to receive full retail rate net metering for the life of their system, unless the solar project is modified so extensively that it requires a new interconnection agreement for ComEd customers, doubles the nameplate capacity of the project for Ameren customers, or if the customer takes the Distributed Generation (also called Smart Inverter) rebate.  

For customers who sign up for net metering after the new supply-only net metering policy takes effect, your utility will continue to “net out” the electricity that your project sends to the grid against the electricity that you pull from the grid.  For example, if your solar project sends 400 kWh of extra electricity to the grid, and you use 500 kWh of electricity from the grid, your net usage would be 100 kWh. Supply and transmission charges are then calculated based on that net usage. 

With supply-only net metering, electric delivery charges are no longer included in net metering. This means that customers will pay delivery charges for the entire amount of electricity that they pull from the grid, regardless of how much electricity they send back to the grid. With the above example, you would pay supply and transmission charges for 100 kWh, but you would pay delivery charges for the full 500 kWh pulled from the grid. Your electric bill will also include non-volumetric (not based on kWh used) customer charges and fees. 

If you send more power to the grid than you pull from the grid, you will receive a credit on your bill for that electricity. If you are on hourly pricing (where your electricity rate changes each hour), you will receive monetary credits on your bill. If you are not on hourly pricing, you can choose whether you want to be credited in kWh (which will then reduce the kWh for which you are charged supply charges in future months), or with monetary credits applied to your bill (calculated based on your electric supply rate). If you are on hourly pricing and have extra credits in a billing period, those credits will roll over to the next month and will not expire.  

For hourly or real-time pricing customers, the net amount of electricity sent to or pulled from the grid will be calculated for each hourly period, and a monetary charge or credit will be calculated for each hour. Then the charges and credits will be totaled for the billing period, and a final charge or credit will be applied.   

If you receive energy supply from an Alternative Retail Electric Supplier (ARES) but your electricity is delivered by: 

  • ComEd either ComEd or the ARES will be responsible for net metering calculations and billing.  
  • Ameren, your ARES will determine whether they or Ameren will be responsible for net metering calculations and billing. 
  • MidAmerican, the ARES will be responsible for net metering calculations and billing. 

If you switch to a new electricity supplier, make sure to ask the new supplier if any accumulated net metering credits will be carried over and applied by the new supplier.  

 (Updated January 2026)

Under Illinois law, customers beginning net metering service on or after January 1, 2025 will receive net metering just for supply charges, rather than the full retail rate net metering.  The Agency understands that as a result, ComEd will require customers submit a certificate of completion by December 31, 2024 to be assured full retail rate net metering, and that Ameren will require customers to submit the Witness Test Request by December 31, 2024 to be assured full retail rate net metering. If the submissions are incomplete or have errors, or if they are submitted after 5 PM on December 31, 2024 but before January 1, 2025, the utilities may or may not be able to review and approve net metering before the January 1 deadline. (Note: this date was updated to December 31, from December 13, on October 4, 2024). MidAmerican requires that a completed net metering application be submitted prior to January 1, 2025 for the solar project to receive full retail rate net metering. 

(Updated October 4, 2024) 

Interconnected residential and small commercial customers who submitted a net metering application to Ameren, ComEd, or MidAmerican prior to January 1, 2025 — and did not request a Smart Inverter/Distributed Generation Rebate from the utility —will continue to have full retail net metering for the life of the system unless material modifications are made to the system. If you are unable to determine if you are receiving full retail rate net metering, you may want to check with your utility. 

(Updated January 2026)

If the system has been receiving full retail rate net metering prior to January 1, 2025, it will continue to receive full retail rate net metering even if ownership of the project changes. 

(Updated January 2026)

If your system has been receiving full retail net metering prior to January 1, 2025, the net metering rate will not change unless the system is modified under the following circumstances: 

  • For ComEd, changes to the system that require a new interconnection application. 
  • For Ameren, an increase to the system’s nameplate capacity of more than 100%. 

(Updated January 2026)

Customers enrolled in net metering on or after January 1, 2025 will only receive supply credits, meaning that customers whose systems send excess energy to the grid will be compensated at a lower rate per kilowatt-hour than those already enrolled in net metering. Customers enrolled in net metering prior to January 1, 2025 who did not take the Smart Inverter/DG Rebate receive full retail net metering, which includes all volumetric (per kWh) delivery and supply credits. 

(Updated January 2026)

If your system was fully interconnected and receiving full retail rate net metering prior to December 31, 2024, and did not receive a Distributed Generation or Smart Inverter rebate from the utility , the amount of savings will not be affected unless material changes are made to the system.

Customers whose project is approved for net metering after December 31, 2024 will be enrolled to the new net metering rates and will only receive supply credits.

(Updated July 2024)

ComEd:

 

Ameren:

 

MidAmerican:

 

(Updated January 2026)

If you buy electricity from your electric utility, you must contact the utility to enroll in net metering. If you change your electricity supplier, you may need to re-enroll in net metering with your new supplier. Failure to enroll or re-enroll may significantly impact the value you receive from your solar project.

(Updated January 2026)

Approved Vendors and Installers

Yes, installing companies must be certified as a Distributed Generation Installer and be in good standing with the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). Details of this requirement can be found on the ICC’s Distributed Installers page. A list of Certified Distributed Generation Installers can be found here. Any questions about this requirement should be directed to the ICC, which certifies Distributed Generation Installers. 

Additionally, if a solar project is applied to Illinois Shines, it must be installed by a Qualified Person as defined under 83 Ill. Adm. Code § 468.20. 

(Updated February 2024)

A system submitted to the Illinois Shines program can only be self-installed if the individual installing the system is a “qualified person,” as defined under 83 Ill. Adm. Code § 468.20: 

“‘Qualified person’ means a person who performs installations on behalf of the certificate holder and who has either satisfactorily completed at least five installations of a specific distributed generation technology or has completed at least one of the following programs requiring lab or field work and received a certification of satisfactory completion: an apprenticeship as a journeyman electrician from a DOL registered electrical apprenticeship and training program; a North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) distributed generation technology certification program; an Underwriters Laboratories (UL) distributed generation technology certification program; an Electronics Technicians Association (ETA) distributed generation technology certification program; or an Associate in Applied Science degree from an Illinois Community College Board approved community college program in solar generation technology. To be considered a ‘qualified person’, the experience and/or training relied upon must be with the same type of distributed generation technology for which the qualification status is sought.” 

Please see Section 4(D) of the Program Guidebook for the full requirements to self-install a Distributed Generation System. 

Even if you self-install your system, it is important to note that only an Approved Vendor can submit an application to the Illinois Shines Program.  

(Updated January 2026)

Another Approved Vendor could obtain the rights to your project’s REC contract, but only with the consent of your original Approved Vendor. 

(Updated February 2024)

Not in all cases. Some Approved Vendors are installers, while others are ‘aggregators’ or have different business models. Aggregators manage applications and submissions to the Program for smaller installers. Aggregator Approved Vendors may choose to work with Installer Designees to complete installations. However, every Illinois Shines solar photovoltaic system must have an Approved Vendor associated with it, even if you as the customer typically only have direct contact with the installer. The Illinois Shines Disclosure Form provided by your installer provides must list the Approved Vendor. If your installer is not the same as your Approved Vendor, you will likely have a separate contract with your Approved Vendor, which is ultimately responsible for ensuring that consumer protections are met, your application is submitted to the Program, and that the RECs from your system are delivered to the utility. 

(Updated January 2026)

The Program Administrator of Illinois Shines, acting on behalf of the Illinois Power Agency, has a thorough application process to participate in the Program. An applicant  must submit information about its business via an online application and will be “approved” if it meets Program qualifications and requirements. More requirements on becoming an Approved Vendor can be found on the Become and AV or Designee page. 

(Updated January 2026)

Prospective customers are invited to view the list of Approved Vendors, Equity Eligible Contractors, and Designees found at the Find an Approved Vendor or Designee page. They are also encouraged to visit the Program Violations and Complaint Reports page to review if their Approved Vendor or Designee has been the subject of complaints and/or disciplinary action — and to consider that information. 

Installers for Illinois Shines can be contacted directly, but they must be a Designee of an Approved Vendor in the Program. If you contact an Approved Vendor that is not an installer, they may be able to refer you to an Installer Designee acting on their behalf. You should shop around, get a few quotes, read consumer reviews if available, and consider the transaction carefully before entering into any installation contract. 

(Updated January 2026)

Community Solar

A list of Illinois Shines Community Solar projects that have opted to be listed publicly is posted on the Illinois Shines website. Please keep in mind that projects that are in development and have not yet applied to and been approved by the Program will not appear on the list. Also keep in mind that some of the projects listed may already be fully subscribed. The list will be updated quarterly, unless otherwise requested by an Approved Vendor.  A prospective community solar customer can locate a Community Solar Approved Vendor and contact them for any openings in their community solar projects. 

(Updated January 2026)

When you subscribe to a community solar project, you pay for a share of a large solar project, and you receive community solar bill credits on your electric utility bill based on how much energy it generates. The credits are shown in dollars. The credits are calculated by taking the electricity your share of the community solar project generated during that billing period (in kilowatt hours) and multiplying that by the utility “price to compare” for your customer class. The utility “price to compare” is the utility’s price for electricity supply plus the transmission charge. For more information on the price to compare, visit plugin.illinois.gov/understanding-the-price-to-compare.html. 

You do not receive actual electricity supply from the community solar project, nor do you receive the Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) associated with the electricity generated by the solar project. 

(Updated February 2024)

If you sign up for a community solar project that isn’t up and running yet, there will  be some lag time before the first solar bill credits appear on your utility bill. Community solar providers often get customers lined up while the community solar project is still in development; the project may need to have construction completed and/or still need to be energized. Your community solar provider will be able to keep you updated about the status of the project. When the community solar project begins producing energy, you will start receiving community solar credits on your electricity bill in the next month or two, and your subscription payments to the project will likely begin around the same time. For customers who are signing up for an active project it usually takes one to two bill cycles for the bill credits to be applied.  

(Updated January 2026)

Under state law and the Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan, subscriptions to community solar projects must be portable (i.e., the subscriber may retain the subscription while changing locations within the same utility service territory) and transferable (i.e., a subscriber may assign or sell the subscription to another person within the same utility service territory). The Illinois Shines program requires that the community solar provider may not charge a fee for transferring your subscription to someone else. These rights of transferability and portability may still be subject to other restrictions, including the community solar provider’s right to check a new subscriber’s credit score, and the utility’s right to ensure that a subscription is appropriately sized relative to the subscriber’s usage. 

(Updated January 2026)

Distributed Generation

No. The project approval is location-specific. Any movement of a project that is participating in the Program is prohibited.

(Updated February 2024)

Consumer Protection and Illinois Shines

The passage of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (Public Act 102-0662) requires the Illinois Power Agency, along with the Program Administrator of its solar incentive programs, to propose various program terms, conditions, and requirements for participating entities and project applications. Consumers can consult the 2024 Long-Term Plan, the Program Guidebook, and the Consumer Protection Handbook, to understand consumer protections requirements Approved Vendors and Designees must comply to.

Consumer protection is a cornerstone of the Program, and Illinois Shines maintains processes, resources, and available to support to protect and assist customers. All participating entities must go through an approval process with the Program Administrator to become Approved Vendors, and which must be completed before they can submit any project applications to the Program. Designees of Approved Vendors must also be registered in the Program. Additional information on this process can be found at the Become an AV or Designee page of the Program website. The Program Administrator also monitors the marketing materials Approved Vendors and Designees use to ensure they are compliant with the requirements of the Program

To strengthen customer understanding of the Illinois Shines program and individual solar projects, the Agency requires Approved Vendors to provide the following documents to prospective customers :

  • Disclosure Form: The Disclosure Form is designed to provide customers with clear information about their solar project. The Disclosure Form is provided to each Program participant before the execution of a contract for on-site system installation or for a community solar subscription. There are different Disclosure Forms based on project type (and financing type, for Distributed Generation projects) that a customer may sign with their installer or sales agent. A Disclosure Form Deep Dive tool provides a detailed walkthrough of different Disclosure Form types to familiarize potential customers and explain key elements.).
  • Brochures: The Program requires Approved Vendors to provide Program participants an informational brochure with the Disclosure Form prior to the execution of the contract. Brochures are available in both print and electronic form and explain key concepts about Illinois Shines, Renewable Energy Credits, how incentives are paid, financing structures for distributed generation, and details on consumer rights, procedures for filing complaints, and more. An additional Guide to Going Solar brochure must be provided for Distributed Generation projects, which outline and explain Illinois Shines project application steps and stages. Copies of Distributed Generation (on-site solar) and Community Solar brochures, other tools, and resources are available at the Program Brochures & Other Resources page of the Program website .

 “Stranded” customers are Illinois Shines Distributed Generation (on-site solar) customers whose Approved Vendor and/or Designee is unable or unwilling to (a) complete the solar project installation and/or (b) submit a project application to the Illinois Shines program. This may be because the Approved Vendor and/or Designee:

  • Has gone out of business or ceased/limited operations,
  • Is unable to meet Program requirements, or
  • Is suspended due to disciplinary action and prohibited from advancing projects through the application process.

A Help for Stranded Customers page outlining resources and support is available at the Program website.

In addition, the program supports a monthly  Consumer Protection Working Group to discuss market trends, best practices, consumer education, updates to Program requirements and documents, and other consumer protection issues for both Illinois Shines and Illinois Solar for All. This is an opportunity for consumers, solar companies, community and nonprofit organizations, and other members of the public to directly provide their insight and perspectives to the Program Administrators for both Programs and IPA. Consumers are encouraged to consider participation in the Consumer Protection Working Group.

Lastly, the Program works diligently to investigate issues that consumers face that are reported to the Program. The Program’s Consumer Protections team reviews reported incidents and sometimes issues a warning or suspends an Approved Vendor or a Designee from operating in the Program. Approved Vendors and Designees that have faced disciplinary measures can be reviewed in the Program Violations Report. Consumers may also refer to the Consumer Complaint Report which tracks customer complaints and their status, as well as an Annual Complaint Report that contains information regarding complaints received and any disciplinary action taken by the Program Administrator over the course of the year.

(Updated February 2024)

The Program Administrator’s Consumer Protection Team works hard to ensure entities registered with the Illinois Shines Program abide by the Program’s requirements. Consumers who believe an Approved Vendor, Designee or other entity has committed a Program violation are encouraged to file complaints with our team To file a complaint please use the form in the Consumer Complaint Center or contact our team at [email protected] or by calling (877) 708-3456. For confirmed Program violations, depending on the severity of the violations, past violations from the entity, and other factors, the Consumer Protection Team may:

  • Send the entity a Warning Letter detailing the Program violation(s) and identifying consequences for additional violations;
  • Require certain corrective actions or satisfaction of a compliance plan to avoid disciplinary action;
  • Suspend the entity from the Program; and/or
  • Revoke the entity’s eligibility with the Program.

 

If you have been subject to fraudulent or deceptive sales practices, the Consumer Protection Division of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office may be able to help. To contact the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, please follow the contact information listed in the Consumer Complaint Center (bottom of the page).

If you are experiencing issues with a system installation, a specific installer, or an Alternative Retail Electric Supplier, please consider also submitting your complaint to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). To properly file an informal complaint with the ICC, please follow the directions outlined in the Consumer Complaint Center.

(Updated January 2026)

Project Inspections

General

Inspections are performed on a portion of projects participating in Illinois Shines, so you may receive outreach from the program. Scheduling an inspection begins with an email to the customer address on file. If scheduling is not completed via email, the Program Administrator will phone the customer to schedule the inspection and address any questions on the process. If you want to confirm that the person contacting you is from the Illinois Shines program, contact the Program Administrator. For more information, visit the Project Inspections page.  

The Program Administrator may be contacted via email or phone.  

Email: [email protected] and Phone Number: (877) 783-1820  

Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. CPT, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays  

(Updated January 2026)

Staff conducting inspections on behalf of the Illinois Shines program will introduce themselves providing their name, reason for the visit, and a business card.  The inspector’s name and photo are included in the scheduling emails and should be referenced on the day of the inspection. 

There are no costs for customers associated with Illinois Shines project inspections. 

Inspections performed by the Illinois Shines Program Administrator are meant to verify the equipment and installation meet the requirements and data provided in the project application submitted to the Program. The Illinois Shines team does not inspect projects for construction- or mechanical-related issues, electric code, or utility requirements. 

(Updated January 2026)

If your installer is not responsive, please reach out to the Program Administrator to report the issue. 

The Help for Stranded Customers page of the Program website provides a list of Approved Vendors and Designees who are willing to assist stranded customers. Please contact the Program Administrator to inform us that your installer is no longer in business.  

(Updated January 2026)

Installers and AVs are required by the Program to notify you of the inspection process. Installers and AVs are not permitted to deny an inspection without notifying the Program Administrator and providing a rationale for the denial. An Illinois Shines inspection will not void your installation contract. If your installer states it will, please inform the inspection team and the Program Administrator will contact your installer to inform them of their Program obligations. 

Scheduling 

No, not from the Illinois Shines program. Projects are selected for inspection via a random selection process and are not conducted per request. If you have concerns about their project installation or production, the Program encourages you to reach out to your project installer or Approved Vendor. Your installer’s and Approved Vendor’s contact information are available in the Disclosure Form provided to you prior to signing your installation contract.  If the response is not satisfactory, please contact our Consumer Protection team.  For more information, visit the Project Inspections page. 

Phone Number: (877) 708-3456

Hours: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. CPT, Monday through Friday, excluding holidays.  

(Updated January 2026)

No. Currently, the Program conducts inspections during normal business hours. 

If you are unavailable on the scheduled inspection date, you may request to reschedule the inspection for the following month. Please note that the Program is unable to offer inspection outside business hours. 

The Inspection Process 

Depending on the method of interconnection the inspector might have to enter the home to inspect the building’s main electrical panel.

Customers can decline an inspection. If the inspection is declined, the project will be removed from the inspections’ selection process.

No. Customers should NOT go on roofs or portable ladders for any part of this inspection.

Results 

If an inspected project is found to not meet the equipment and production information submitted to the Program, the Approved Vendor and installer will be informed. The follow-up depends upon the concern or deficiency found during inspection.

If a deficiency is found in the project, a report will be sent to the installer, Approved Vendor and customer. A resolution plan will be agreed upon between the Program Administrator and the installer.

In rare cases if an immediate safety concern is discovered, the inspector will inform Program leadership and IPA, and the system will be shut down until resolved.