Is Solar Right for You?
Solar energy is quickly becoming a more popular, reliable, and affordable power source for residents and businesses. Powering your home with solar energy can lower your environmental footprint and save substantially on electricity bills.
- Federal, state, and local incentives are available for Illinois residents to lower upfront costs, earn renewable energy credits, and more.
- Through the federal solar tax credit, you could receive nearly $8,000 back on your taxes if you purchase an average-priced solar system in Illinois.
- Investing in solar energy in Illinois can pay off through significant long-term electricity bill savings.
Want to learn more? Get your FREE solar savings estimate! Just enter some basic information below and you'll get an instant, free solar cost estimate and savings for your home.
Illinois Solar for All
Incentives for Affordable and Accessible Solar Energy in our Communities
What is Illinois Solar for All?
Illinois Solar for All provides greater access to the clean energy economy for income-qualified and environmental justice communities across Illinois.
Through incentives, Illinois Solar For All makes solar installations and access to community solar more affordable, and results in measurable savings for participants.
North River Commission has partnered with Illinois Solar for All inform residents about this program, and to help guide them through the process. For more information about Illinois Solar for All, visit www.IllinoisSFA.com
Illinois Solar for All Process
Check Eligibility Requirements
Illinois Solar for All incentives are available for households with an income at or below 80% of Area Median Income (AMI), or buildings where a majority of tenants are within that income level.
See the chart below for AMI information for Chicago residents. If your household is within the range in the table below, you can participate in Illinois Solar for All.
Contact NRC for a Consultation
Speak with an NRC staff members about solar energy basics, including distributed generation, community solar.
Learn more about the process, and find Approved Vendors that are active in our area.
Contact Approved Vendors
Approved ILSFA solar energy vendors can assess your home's solar potential and solar readiness. As with any home project, we recommend getting multiple quotes whenever possible.
Select a Vendor and work with NRC for Support
NRC staff are available throughout the process to help you understand offers from vendors, answer any questions, and provide connections to other resources that will help you to access solar energy through Illinois Solar for All.
Illinois Solar for All: Income Eligibility for Chicago Residents
| Maximum Household Income | $58,350 | $66,700 | $75,050 | $83,350 | $90,050 | $96,700 | $103,400 | $110,050 |
Illinois Solar for All provides incentives for income-eligible residents to get solar installations at their home. ILSFA provides incentives for solar installations on any residential property that serves households earning up to 80% of Area Median Income (AMI).
Chicago residents’ AMI is calculated for the Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties)
Are you eligible for this program based on the criteria above? If so, contact us below!
Illinois Solar for All Success Story - DuBois Family, Chicago
In June 2020, ILSFA completed one of its first single-family home installations with the Dubois family in the Marynook neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side.
The day Dubois’s solar system was installed on their bungalow rooftop was exciting. “It was like we were in Hollywood because the neighbors were interested, and they pulled over to see what was going on,” said Lytese Dubois.
Through ILSFA, the Dubois household doesn't have any upfront costs for their new rooftop solar system, and they’re expected to save over $10,000 on electricity costs over the next 15 years. The Dubois’ new solar system is connected to the electrical grid and has started to convert the sunlight it absorbs into electricity. It's estimated to save the Dubois household $46 per month for the first year of their contract, which they'll receive as credits on their electric bill. Since electricity costs are expected to rise over time, the system is estimated to save them over $10,400 over the course of their 15 and a half-year contract with Certasun.
See more of this success story and hear from Lysette Dubois here.
Illinois Solar for All Programs
- Residential Distributed Generation
- Installation of a solar energy system at a home or multi-family building.
- Residents work with pre-approved ILSFA solar energy vendors to analyze your home or building's solar energy potential, consider options, and arrange a contract for a purchase, lease, or purchase-power agreement.
- No upfront costs to participants through Illinois Solar for All, and guaranteed savings on your monthly energy bill.
- Residents benefit through net-metering.
- Community Solar
- Residents purchase a portion of the electricity produced by a community solar project—a large, centralized solar project for which you “subscribe” to a share of its output - and receive credits on their electric bill.
- Community solar installations are built within the region, in the case of Chicago, within the ComEd service region.
- No upfront costs to participants through Illinois Solar for All, and guaranteed savings on your monthly energy bill.
- Nonprofit and Public Buildings
- NOTE: The 2020-2021 funding for this program is no longer available. Applications for this program are likely to be accepted again in July 2021.
- Installation of a solar energy system at a public building or building that houses a nonprofit that performs a critical community service.
- Property owners work with pre-approved ILSFA solar energy vendors to analyze a building's solar energy potential, consider options, and arrange a contract for a purchase, lease, or purchase-power agreement.
- No upfront costs to participants through Illinois Solar for All, and guaranteed savings on your monthly energy bill.
- Property owners benefit from net-metering.
- Job Training in the Solar Industry
- Opportunities are available for training and apprenticeships in the clean energy industries.
- Approved Vendors in Illinois Solar for All must give priority to hiring graduates of Qualified Job Training Programs or Other Qualifying Programs.
- A directory of all approved job training programs is on this webpage https://www.illinoissfa.com/
job-training/
My Home's Solar Potential
Project Sunroof
Check the solar energy potential for your home with Google's Project Sunroof, a free tool.
Other Solar and Home Energy Programs
Home Energy Efficiency
ComEd Home Energy Efficiency Programs
- Free home energy assessments with free and discounted energy-saving products and personalized energy efficiency recommendations.
- Rebates on select appliances, smart thermostats and qualifying high-efficiency equipment and services. Get instant in-store discounts on LEDs and select home products.
- Energy-saving offerings specially designed for income eligible customers to easily improve home and building energy efficiency.
People's Gas Rebates and Programs
- Free energy assessment and installation of free energy-saving products.
- Home Energy Jumpstart - energy-saving products installed in your home for free.
- Multifamily Program - energy-saving products installed in your multi-family building for free. Also receive a free property assessment identifying additional areas for natural gas savings and rebates.
- Energy-saving offerings specially designed for income eligible customers to easily improve home and building energy efficiency.
Not eligible for ILSFA, but still interested in solar?
Illinois Shines is the brand name for the Adjustable Block Program—a state-administered incentive program supporting the development of new solar energy generation in Illinois. Unlike Illinois Solar for All, Illinois Shines is open to anyone regardless of household income.
More at - www.illinoisshines.com
You may participate in Illinois Shines in one of two ways:
- You may host a new solar photovoltaic system on your rooftop or on your property, directly offsetting your energy usage; or
- You may participate as a subscriber to a community solar project—a large, centralized solar project for which you “subscribe” to a share of its output.
- Utility bill assistance, gas, delivered fuel, electric, and furnace repair and/or replacement services for income eligible households, is managed by Community and Economic Development Association (CEDA)
- The available programs include, the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), Furnace, ComEd Residential Special Hardship, and Peoples Gas Share the Warmth grants.
- Programs are designed to assist income eligible households with energy costs by making a payment directly to the utility company(s) on behalf of the households or providing cash assistance.
- Review income guidelines application dates, and what documents you need to apply here.
- Apply through a local organization. Find a site near you using the Site Locator
- Site Locator - http://tubr.cedaorg.net/public/laa/v2
- In Albany Park, the HANA Center is a local partner for LIHEAP and other community assistance.
- HANA Center - (773) 583-5501
- For more information about LIHEAP and other assistance programs, call the CEDA Hotline at 800-571-2332 or visit https://www.cedaorg.net/find-services/
Illinois Solar For All
Incentivos para Energía Solar Económica y Accesible en nuestra comunidades
¿Como funciona ILSFA?
ILSFA provee mejor acceso a la energía limpia para las comunidades de bajos ingresos y de justicia ambiental en todas comunidades del estado.
Tras incentivos, ILSFA reduce el costo de instalación de paneles solares y de paneles solares comunitarios, y garantiza ahorros para participantes del programa.
North River Commission se ha asociado con Illinois Solar for All para informar a residentes sobre este programa, y para guiarlos durante el proceso. Para más información sobre ILSFA, visite www.IllinoisSFA.com
El Proceso
Comprobar los requisitos de elegibilidad
Los incentivos de ILSFA están disponibles para viviendas con ingresos de 80% o menos del Ingreso Mediano del Área (AMI), o edificios con menos de la mitad de las unidades en ese nivel de ingreso.
La siguiente tabla tiene información AMI para residentes de Chicago. Si su hogar está dentro del rango en la tabla, puede participar en ILSFA.
Contacte NRC para una consulta
Hable con empleados de NRC sobre detalles del programa y para aprender lo básico de la energía solar.
Aprenda más sobre el proceso y encuentre proveedores aprobados activos en servicio en nuestra área.
Contacte Proveedores Aprobados
Constructores y contratistas aprobados por ILSFA (Proveedores Aprobados) pueden realizar una evaluación adecuada gratuita para determinar si su techo o terreno puede albergar un sistema fotovoltaico solar. Cómo con cualquier proyecto de su hogar, le recomendamos obtener varias cotizaciones cuando sea posible.
Seleccione un proveedor
Los empleados de NRC están disponibles durante todo el proceso para ayudarle a entender las diferentes ofertas, y responder a cualquier pregunta, y proveer conexiones a otros recursos que le ayudarán a obtener acceso a la energía solar.
Illinois Solar for All: Elegibilidad de ingresos para Chicago
| Ingresos máximos | $58,350 | $66,700 | $75,050 | $83,350 | $90,050 | $96,700 | $103,400 | $110,050 |
Illinois Solar for All proporciona incentivos para que los residentes de ingresos elegibles puedan recibir instalaciones de energía solar en su hogar. ILSFA proporciona incentivos para instalaciones solares en cualquier propiedad residencial que sirve de viviendas ganando hasta 80% del Ingreso Mediano del Área (AMI).
Chicago AMI esta calculado para las áreas de Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR (Condados Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, y Will)
¿Tu eres elegible para este programa según estos criterios?
Programas de ILSFA
- Generación Distribuida para Viviendas para Personas de Bajos Ingresos
- Instalaciones solares en cualquier vivienda para personas de bajos ingresos.
- Residentes trabajan con Proveedores Aprobados para averiguar la seguridad adecuada de un hogar o edificio para paneles solares, para considerar opciones, y arreglar un contrato de compra ó alquiler, “purchase-power.”
- Sin pagos por adelantado a través de ILSFA y ahorros garantizados.
- Residentes se benefician gracias a la medición neta
- Solar Comunitario
- Residentes compran una porción de la electricidad producida por un proyecto solar comunitario - un sistema grande de paneles solares (matriz solar) al cual uno se suscribe - y reciben abonos en su factura de electricidad.
- Los proyectos de solar comunitario en Chicago se construyen dentro de la región de servicio de ComEd.
- Sin pagos por adelantado a través de ILSFA y ahorros garantizados en la factura de electricidad.
- Generación Distribuida para Organizaciones sin Fines de Lucro y Entidades Públicas
- AVISO: Los fondos para este programa en 2020-21 ya no están disponibles. Nuevas aplicaciones serán aceptadas comenzando en Julio 2021.
- Instalaciones solares en propiedades ocupadas por organizaciones sin fines de lucro y entidades públicas que sirven a comunidades de bajos ingresos ó de justicia ambiental.
- Dueños de propiedad trabajan con Proveedores Aprobados para averiguar las condiciones adecuadas del edificio para paneles solares, para considerar opciones, y arreglar un contrato de compra ó alquiler, “purchase-power.”
- Sin pagos por adelantado a través de ILSFA y ahorros garantizados en la factura de electricidad.
- Propietarios se benefician gracias a la medición neta
- Capacitación Laboral en la industria solar
- ILSFA ofrece oportunidades de entrenamiento y aprendizaje.
- Proveedores Aprobados bajo ILSFA deben dar prioridad de contratación a graduados de programas de capacitación laboral bajo ILSFA.
El potencial energía solar de mi hogar
Project Sunroof
Compruebe el potencial de energía solar para su hogar con Project Sunroof de Google, una herramienta gratuita.
Otros programas solares y para el ahorro de energía
Energía Eficiente en el hogar
ComEd Home Energy Efficiency Programs
- Evaluaciones gratuitas de energía solar y productos de ahorro de energía gratuitos o con descuento, recomendaciones personalizadas de eficiencia energética.
- Reembolsos en electrodomésticos, termostatos inteligentes y equipos y servicios calificados de alta eficiencia. Obtenga descuentos instantáneos en la tienda en LED y productos para el hogar.
- Ofertas de ahorro de energía diseñadas especialmente para clientes con ingresos elegibles para mejorar fácilmente la eficiencia energética del edificio.
People's Gas Rebates and Programs
- Evaluaciones gratuitas de energía e instalaciones de productos de ahorro energético gratuitos.
- Home Energy Jumpstart - productos de ahorro energético instalados gratis en su hogar.
- Programa multifamiliar - productos de ahorro energético instalados gratis en un edificio multifamiliar. También reciba una evaluación gratuita que identifica áreas adicionales para ahorros y reembolsos de gas natural.
- Ofertas de ahorro de energía diseñadas especialmente para clientes con ingresos elegibles para mejorar fácilmente la eficiencia energética del edificio.
¿No califica para ILSFA, pero todavía está interesado en la energía solar?
Illinois Shines es otro nombre para el Adjustable Block Program—un programa administrado por el estado similar a ILSFA pero sin requisitos de ingresos.
Mas información en - www.illinoisshines.com
Puede participar en Illinois Shines es una de dos maneras.
- Puede instalar un nuevo sistema solar fotovoltaico en su techo o propiedad, compensando directamente su consumo de energía.
- Puede participar cómo suscriptor en un proyecto de solar comunitario.