What your exported power is actually worth in Illinois, how the credit is calculated, and what that means for sizing a system.
Illinois maintains net metering, crediting exported solar against what you consume. Illinois has been one of the more stable policy environments in the Midwest, with strong advocacy that has blocked or delayed reduction proposals.
The relevant number for 2026 is not the policy but the rate. Illinois electricity rose 28.4% year over year through May 2026 — the steepest increase of any state.
That cuts both ways for a homeowner: your bill is climbing, but every kilowatt-hour your roof offsets is worth more than it was a year ago.
ComEd serves northern Illinois including Chicago and the collar counties; Ameren Illinois serves central and southern Illinois. Naperville and Springfield run municipal utilities with their own rules.
Sources: Illinois Commerce Commission; EIA Electric Power Monthly, May 2026.
Net metering is a billing arrangement, not a rebate. Nobody sends you a cheque. Your meter runs backward and your bill goes down.
It also does not eliminate your bill entirely. Fixed customer charges continue regardless of usage, and most utilities true up on an annual cycle rather than paying cash for a surplus.
Which is why system sizing matters: a system built well beyond your annual usage produces credits worth far less than the ones that offset what you actually consume.
The 30% federal Residential Clean Energy Credit under Section 25D ended for systems purchased after December 31, 2025. If you buy with cash or a loan in 2026, you cannot claim it. Any site still advertising a 30% federal credit for a homeowner purchase is running outdated information.
What remains is Section 48E, the commercial investment credit. It applies to third-party-owned systems — leases and power purchase agreements — where the system owner claims it rather than the homeowner. That is precisely what makes $0-down possible.
EnergyPros does not provide tax advice — confirm your situation with a tax professional.
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Not usually. Fixed customer charges continue regardless of how much power you generate, and most utilities settle any annual surplus at a rate well below retail. A well-sized system substantially reduces the bill; it rarely eliminates it.
In most cases, one sized to your actual annual usage. Building well beyond that produces credits that are worth far less than the ones offsetting what you consume, because surplus is typically trued up at avoided cost rather than retail.
Net metering credits generally stay with the meter rather than the person. If you sell, the arrangement transfers with the property. If you are on a lease or PPA, that agreement transfers to the buyer — your installer handles the paperwork.
It can, considerably — especially where exports are credited below retail. A battery lets you use your own production during expensive hours instead of exporting it cheaply. In states with 1:1 retail credit the case is weaker; in net billing states it is usually decisive.
Illinois solar guides