Solar

"ComEd offers the Distributed Generation (DG) Rebate up to $300/kW for an installed private solar energy system." Under the current terms, $300/kW applies to customers in the residential or Under 100 kW demand classes. It requires a smart inverter and is available to customers who interconnected after 11 August 2022. Once claimed it cannot be reversed, and ComEd notes that a customer with legacy net metering status who claims it is "only eligible to receive Net Metering credits in the Supply section" of the bill — so we model both before you choose. The rebate goes to the system owner, which under a lease is the developer.

For commercial customers outside the Under 100 kW demand class, and for community supply, ComEd's terms set "$250/kW of nameplate generating capacity of the DG facility." Same smart-inverter requirement, same no-reversal rule.

"Illinois Shines has set incentive amounts that are paid for RECs produced by solar projects participating in the Program. The incentives are paid to participating Approved Vendors and savings are passed on to customers." The money goes to an Approved Vendor, not to you directly, so what reaches your project depends on what that vendor passes through — we read that term before the contract is signed. Projects are sized into categories: Small DG at or under 25 kW, Large DG above 25 kW up to 5 MW, plus a dedicated Public Schools category. We participate through an Approved Vendor rather than as the applicant of record.

"The base amount of the Clean Electricity Investment Credit is 6 percent of the qualified investment. Credit is increased by up to: 5 times or up to 30% for facilities meeting prevailing wage and registered apprenticeship requirements." The full rate is not automatic — it requires both the prevailing wage and the registered apprenticeship requirements, which is one more reason the crew decision is made early. Timing is binary: the full rate applies if construction began on or before 4 July 2026 with the system placed in service by 2030, or if the system is placed in service by 31 December 2027. Tax-exempt organizations and government entities can take the value as elective (direct) pay or transfer it, with pre-filing registration required.

"Cook County commercial-property owners can obtain up to 100-percent upfront financing from private capital providers for qualified upgrades to their HVAC, lighting and solar photovoltaic systems." Repayment is a special assessment line on the property tax bill, secured by a lien on the property, and the term "may extend up to the useful life of the eligible improvements, which could be up to 30 years." Private commercial property in Cook County only.