The Blue Raven Solar, Hanover Park office has been busily engaged in supporting the SolSmart initiative by installing solar panel systems in homes across the county. Our goal is to help people like you take control of monthly utility costs to free up your hard earned money. With solar you control your energy production. Solar power prices, savings and payback in your part of Illinois. The average cost for an installed residential solar system in Illinois is currently $11,397 after claiming the 26% federal solar tax credit. This is $2.57 per watt. However, there is some variance in solar prices in different parts of the state.

Free Solar Panel Install Illinois Lottery

If you are a customer of ComEd, one of Illinois’ largest utility companies, and you install solar on your business, you are eligible for $250 per kilowatt (kW) of installed solar power through their Distributed Generation Rebate program. Your solar panel system can’t be bigger than 2,000 kW in capacity to get the rebate.
Update: Funding for the Illinois SREC program has run out, no more SREC credits are available as of 28 December 2020. This blog will be updated as new funding becomes available. No, solar panels aren’t free in Illinois. But thanks to Illinois Solar Renewable Energy Credits, (SRECs) solar panels are a great way to save on electricity in Illinois.

Reading Time: 3minutes

If you’ve been shopping around for a solar panel system, you’ve probably heard at least one company advertise ‘free solar panels’ – that they will install a solar energy system on your roof for free. But, much as with anything, remember that there is no such thing as a free lunch (or a free solar panel).

What do companies mean when they say free solar panels?

Decoding the sales pitch: The term ‘free solar panels’ is sometimes used to advertise solar lease or solar power purchase agreements (PPAs). Under both types of arrangements, a company will put solar panels on your roof for no money up-front but will charge you for the electricity that they produce. Most offers will save you money but not all of them, so make sure you’ve thoroughly compared all your options. Also consider buying the solar panels or financing them with a zero-down solar loan.

So what do a company’s marketers and salespeople mean when they say ‘free solar panels’? Usually, they are referring to solar leases and power purchase agreements (PPA’s). Under these solar financing arrangements, a solar company will put a solar system on your roof at no up-front cost to you. This sounds great – you get to say that your home is powered by clean energy, and can even point to the solar panels on your roof to prove it.

But the reality is that you do not technically own the system, and the solar energy the panels produce is not free. Under solar lease agreements, ownership is retained by the solar company, and you pay for the electricity it produces. In essence, the company has built a small power plant on your roof and is selling you the electricity.

Will free solar panels save you money?

You may have various reasons for going solar. If you’re like most people, saving money, eliminating your utility bills and/or reducing your carbon footprint are probably at the top. The environmental benefits of going solar are more or less the same regardless of who installs your system, so it’s key to focus on the financial benefits.

Regardless of its ‘do-good’ image, the solar industry is an industry like any other: the companies offering products are looking to turn a profit. Providers of solar leases make their money by selling you electricity, usually at a lower rate than what you pay your utility.

Although companies like SolarCity once dominated the market for solar leases, countless other players have since entered the space and begun competing with each other. Some solar leases will save you more money than others. You as a solar shopper can now take your pick of company based on the attractiveness of their offering. So even if financial gain is secondary to environmental considerations for you, you should still shop around to make sure you’re getting the best deal.

Interested in learning about your local solar options? By shopping on the EnergySage Solar Marketplace you can compare not only solar lease options, but also purchase and solar loan options. Sign up today to get quotes from solar installers in your area.

Looking for free solar panels? Try financing your system with a solar loan instead

The revolutionary thing about solar leases was that they made it possible for virtually anyone with a roof to go solar, regardless of whether they had cash in the bank to purchase a system. Solar leases were crucial in removing barriers to entry back when solar system prices were prohibitively high.

But times have changed substantially since solar leases were introduced. Solar systems are now more affordable than ever, and that financing options other than solar leases have become viable. The most important of these is the solar loan, which combines the ‘zero-down’ aspect of the solar lease with the benefits of system ownership (‘the best of both worlds‘).

The falling cost of solar

So before you sign up for the first ‘free solar panel’ deal that comes your way, make sure you understand what you’re being offered and that you’ve considered all of your other options. In other words, be a smart solar shopper.

cost/savings content

Solar Power Companies in Illinois

Free Solar Power Installation

$0 Down Solar Leasing is not available.

SunRun and SolarCity do not operate in Illinois.

[table id=23 responsive=”phone” /]

Illinois at a glance

Electricity use in Illinois

$80.19 This is the average residential electric bill in Illinois.

$20.01 This is the amount Illinois pays below the national average.

$10.63 This is the average cost of electricity in Illinois.

$1.49 This is how much Illinois is below the national averaged cost for electricity.

Sunshine in Illinois

56% of all days are sunny in Illinois.

26% of all sunny days that do not have clouds.

Free Solar Install

12:52 this is the longest day in Illinois.

9:07 this is the shortest day of the year for Illinois

Solar power incentives in Illinois

Does Illinois have a RPS?

YES, Illinois has a renewable portfolio standard set in place.

Does Illinois participate in the SREC market?

NO, Illinois does not have a SCREC market place.

Does Illinois allow trading into other SCREC markets?

YES, Illinois does allow trading into other SCREC markets.

Does Illinois offer a state tax credit for solar power?

NO, Illinois does not have a tax credit for solar power.

Is there a state sales tax exemption in Illinois for solar power?

NO, there is no sales tax exemption in Illinois for solar powered systems.

Does Illinois offer a property tax exemption for solar energy?

YES, Illinois does have a property tax exemption for solar power systems.

Does Illinois offer a Feed-in Tariff?

NO, like most places in the US Illinois does not offer any type of Feed-in Tariff.

Does Illinois offer Net Metering?

YES, in Illinois there is the option for Net Metering.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SOLAR POWER INCENTIVES

Again as in all 50 states there is the 30% federal tax credit.

Are there additional solar power incentives in Illinois?

YES, there are a number of other solar power and renewable energy incentives in Illinois, you can find out more at dsireusa.org.

Free Solar Panel Install Illinios