CUB’s Guide to Illinois Solar for All

Rooftop Solar Program

• Through Solar for All, qualified homeowners have the opportunity to install solar panels on their property for little to no cost. There are two project categories:  small residential (1-3 units) and large residential (4+ units). 
• Households with a total income at or below 80% area median income are eligible to sign up for the program. Beyond income, there are other things to consider.
  • Solar readiness: Before being approved for the program, homes must be “solar ready.” What does this mean for roof installations?
    • The roof must be in good condition, and at least 15 years out from needing to be replaced. The structure must be able to support the solar system.
    • The house needs a modern electrical panel.
    • The roof should be relatively free of shading. 
    • Note: Funding through IHWAP may be available for some of these upgrades. If you are not able to make the necessary upgrades, community solar is still an option.
  • Southern Illinois: The Solar for All program fully covers all regions of Illinois, except for Southern Illinois. There are fewer Approved Vendors willing and able to do residential Solar for All installations in the Southern Illinois region. You can find the Solar for All region map here. If you live in Southern Illinois and are interested in Solar for All, please reach out to CUB and we will try to suggest solutions for you. 
  • Municipal Utilities and Cooperative Electric Utilities (muni/co-op): If you are a customer of a municipal utility or an electric cooperative (muni/co-op), you may not be eligible for Solar for All. This is because many muni/co-ops have prohibitive solar policies, especially when it comes to third-party ownership. (You will learn more about this below.) If you are a muni/co-op customer interested in Solar for All, please reach out to your utility to confirm what their policy is.
• Homeowners have the option to install solar panels through leasing panels or a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). Under either of these options, the solar company owns the panels, and the customer rents those panels each month in return for electricity produced by the panels.
  • Lease: Customer will pay the solar company a fixed monthly fee.
  • PPA: Customer will pay the solar company an amount based on how much energy the panels produce each month.
  • Note: Outside of the Illinois Solar for All program, CUB advises consumers to be careful about entering leases or PPAs, because buying the panels outright could be more cost-effective. However, with ILSFA, leases and PPAs are a much better deal for consumers. This is because there are guaranteed savings built into the program.
  • Available residential offers: To participate in residential solar, you must either be a homeowner or have a participating landlord. There are currently two companies, GRNE and Sunrun, offering rooftop solar for consumers. GRNE gives the option of a PPA or lease, and Sunrun’s offers a lease.  See more information on Solar for All’s Distributed Generation Offers directory.

Community Solar Program 

• Solar for All also has a community solar option for eligible residents (households with a total income at or below 80% area median income) who cannot or choose not to install solar panels on their own property. This is a good option for people who live in apartments and/or have too much shade for solar to work at their house. For more information about community solar, visit CUB’s Solar in the Community website.
• The Illinois Solar for All program maintains a list of all community solar projects. The list includes information on whether each project is currently accepting new subscribers and how to sign up. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact CUB for more information
• Note: If you are a customer of a municipal utility or an electric cooperative (muni/co-op), you may not be eligible for Solar for All. This is because many muni/co-ops have prohibitive solar policies, especially when it comes to third-party ownership. (You will learn more about this below.) If you are a muni/co-op customer interested in Solar for All, please reach out to your utility to confirm what their policy is.

Nonprofits and public facilities opportunities

Through Solar for All, eligible nonprofit organizations and public facilities are able to go solar. Learn more on the Illinois Solar for All website.

How does Solar for All save me money?

• Cleo and Molly have an income that qualifies them for the Illinois Solar for All program. They have an electric bill that is usually around $100. They would like to save some money on their power bills, and they like the idea of renewable energy, so they decide to sign up for community solar through ILSFA.

• Each month, their community solar subscription produces about $60 worth of electricity. Now, they’re only paying $40 on their electricity bill, because the rest of the electricity is coming from their community solar project.

• They still need to pay their subscription fee back to the community solar company. Thanks to ILSFA’s 50% rule, they only have to pay for half of the electricity produced by their subscription. Half of $60 is $30, which is what they pay back to their community solar company.

• So instead of paying $100 each month for electricity, Cleo and Molly are now paying around $70 a month.