Illinois Shines places priority on educating and informing customers about all aspects of their decision to go solar, including the significant financial commitment of solar installation. Illinois Shines Approved Vendors or their Designees should provide customers with relevant information about net metering or other crediting approaches, in order to allow customers to properly evaluate a decision to install solar. This information impacts the financial considerations associated with the customer’s investment as well as their monthly average outlay for electricity.
Historically, Illinois utilities have been required to provide customer bill credits for excess energy produced by their residential or small commercial solar system at the full retail rate but, under the state’s Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (“CEJA”), net metering offerings will change to supply-only starting January 1, 2025. This means that for customers interconnecting renewable energy systems to the grid in ComEd, Ameren, or MidAmerican territories after December 31, 2024, full retail rate net metering will no longer be available. In simplest terms, customers will be credited for excess electricity that their solar project sends to the grid at their electricity supply rate. (The electricity supply charge, in $/kWh, is shown on the customer’s electric bill). Please note that though the law sets a deadline of December 31, 2024 for a solar system to be approved for interconnection, installed, and have received permission to operate from the utility, all required documentation must be received by the utility no later than 5 p.m. CPT on December 13, 2024 to be eligible to receive permission to operate by December 31, 2024.
The Agency has created a Frequently Asked Questions (“FAQs”) document to provide information to Approved Vendors/Designees and consumers about the changes. These FAQs can be found in the linked document as well as on the Program’s website:
- FAQs Related to Changes in Net Metering in Illinois (AVs and Designees) – July 26, 2024 on the Net Metering Credits page
- Approved Vendor- and Designee-Facing FAQs on the Vendor FAQs page
- Consumer-Facing FAQs on the Consumer FAQs page
The Illinois Shines program is dedicated to keeping participants abreast of the changes being worked on by the utilities.
