Solar Opportunities - Illinois

Solar Offerings and Incentives

Homeowners in Illinois who install solar equipment are eligible for the tax incentives described below. State and Local Incentives

Property-Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Financing- Local Option

PACE Financing is available to cities and counties in Illinois. This financing program allows homeowners to borrow money to make energy improvements to their home. Improvements eligible for this type of financing are determined by local governments. For more information or to find out if your town has this program please click here.

Solar Renewable Energy Credits

In Illinois, owners of Solar Photovoltaic systems retain the renewable energy credits or RECs for the energy they produce and consume. These credits can then be sold to utilities to help them comply with the renewables standard portfolio (RSP) requirements. To find out more about eligibility requirements please click here.

Special Assessment for Solar Energy Systems

This is a property tax incentive that values a solar energy system as no more than a conventional energy system. Both active and passive solar systems are included in this special assessment program, but must be equipment that cannot be used for conventional energy systems. To learn more click here.

Federal Residential Renewable Energy Tax Credit

 A federal-level investment tax credit (ITC) is now available to consumers wanting to purchase small wind turbines, solar panels, or geothermal heat pumps.  The ITC, written into law through the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, is available for equipment installed from Oct. 3, 2008 through Dec. 31, 2016. The credit covers 30% of the equipment cost, though some technologies have a credit cap of $2000. More details and a complete list of eligible technologies can be found here.