The Initial Plan was approved in 2018 and a Revised Plan was approved in June 2021. What to know about Illinois' SREC program The best states for a home solar energy system aren't always the sunniest; those who benefit the most from installing a solar photovoltaic (PV) system for their home spend a lot of money on electricity and live in a state with good solar programs and incentives. Owners sell their generated SRECs in Illinois for a 15-year contract into a market set up by the Illinois Power Agency (IPA). Weve also unbiasedly ranked and reviewed hundreds of solar installers to empower you to make the right choice for your home. Approved Vendor: An entity approved by the Program Administrator to submit project applications to the Adjustable Block Program and act as counterparty to the ABP contracts with the utilities. Distributed Generation Installer (DG Installer): A DG Installer is an entity that has received certification from the Illinois Commerce Commission to perform distributed generation installations. cost of photovoltaic (PV) panels in Illinois, low-income households to convert to solar, Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), Offers a credit to your tax liability for 30% of your entire system cost, Provides credits for all solar production, which you can sell for a profit, Varies based on the size of your system, your total energy production rate and more, Offers an accessible payment plan for low-income solar customers, Varies based on the size of your system, your average monthly electric bill and more, Waives all taxes on your property for the value added to your home by your PV system, Varies based on your system size, system installation cost and your local property tax rate, Provides credits for excess energy production, which can be used to pay down future bills, Varies based on your monthly utility bills and your average rate of solar production, Various rebate programs offered by local utility companies and municipalities, Varies based on the specific incentive, where you live and your utility provider. For more information, seeenergy.gov. If your bill is based on fixed prices for energy, your credits will simply be measured in kWh. This program is undergoing some changes in the summer of 2022, but the basic premise remains the same: home solar producers can earn 1 SREC for every MWh of electricity produced by their systems and can sell these to earn additional income. Solar RECs (SRECs) are created for each megawatt-hour of electricity generated from solar energy systems. In his free time when he's not checking his own home's solar production he enjoys outdoor activities like hiking, mountain biking, skiing and rock climbing. Net metering, also called net energy metering (NEM), is a billing policy that is mandated in many states by the local Public Utilities Commission (PUC). With the passing of the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, however, this 5% cap has been removed. The first step towards earning SRECs is to shop for a solar panel system. If you are looking for information on a program serving low-income and environmental justice communities, please visit the Illinois Solar for All program site. RECs The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is the piece of legislation that extended the federal credit and bumped up the credit rate. Learn more below. The Plan describes the implementation of: The Adjustable Block Program (for photovoltaic distributed generation and community solar), also known as Illinois Shines, TheIllinois Solar for AllProgram(low-income residential distributed generation and community solar), Competitive procurements (for Renewable Energy Credits from new utility-scale wind, utility-scale photovoltaic, and brownfield photovoltaic projects), Large Customer Self-direct Program (for large electric customers to retire Renewable Energy Credits from new utility-scale wind and solar facilities and receive a bill credit reducing Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS)-related bill charges). All of CSG's ABP customers will be receiving the following documents in . The best states for a home solar energy system arent always the sunniest; those who benefit the most from installing a solar photovoltaic (PV) system for their home spend a lot of money on electricity and live in a state with good solar programs and incentives. Essentially, you can generate additional income from the power that your panels produce in order to help the state meet the solar requirement. Small Subscriber: A residential or small commercial customer with a subscription below 25 kW. Whether youre already a proud owner of a solar array system or youre thinking about making the solar investment, contact us today to learn more. If you are deemed a qualified person as defined by Illinois Administrative Code 83 468.20, then yes! If you only have time to file for one credit, we strongly suggest making it this one. You dont need to apply for anything or file any paperwork, and the savings are massive. Add in net metering available from public utilities and a state property tax exemption and youre onto a winner with solar in the state. See solar prices from qualified, local companies. Give us a call today to learn more from our experts and how this may potentially be a great opportunity for your solar power system. For commercial customers, this is paid out over 5 years, and the REC value varies based on the size of the solar system. From there, each category is further divided by the size of the solar installation; if your installation produces less than 25 kW you fall into the Small DG category, whereas the Large DG, Traditional Community Solar, Community-Driven Community Solar, and Public School categories all range from 25 kW up to 5,000 kW. Contact Tick Tock Energy to get a quote today! Spots Are Already Being Taken By Illinois Homeowners. Although this is around 10% lower than the national average of $23,940, its still a massive price tag to convert to renewable energy and one that many Illinois property owners cannot afford. Learn More about the IPA's implementation activities under CEJA. On Sept. 15, 2021, the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (Public Act 102-0662) was signed into law by Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker. Your payback time is greatly reduced. The block groups are divided into four main categories: Small Distributed Generation (DG), Large DG, Traditional Community Solar, Community-Driven Community Solar, and Public Schools. Distributed Generation Project Developer (DG Project Developer): A DG, Project Developer may oversee client relationships, design of the solar project, and site management. The tax exemption is another automatic state incentive, so you dont have to take any action to claim it. A system must be energized within 12 months (18 months for community solar projects) after this contract is approved. The perks available are plentiful and highly beneficial, and the state is currently on track to meet its RPS goal. SREC Incentive Overview and Status as of March 31, 2021The solar renewable energy credit (or "SREC") has been an exceptional Illinois solar incentive available through the Illinois Shines program. ISEA recommends system owners work RPS Timeline Please contact our Customer Care Center if you have questions. The Final 2022 Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan is available here. Home / Solar Energy Guide + FAQ / The 4 Biggest Benefits of Going Solar / Solar Rebates & Tax Incentives: What You Need to Know / Illinois Solar Incentives for 2023, Written by Leigh Matthews, BA Hons, H.Dip. Learn more about the technology of photovoltaics from the US Department of Energy here: Consulting with an Approved Vendor is the best way to figure out if your home (either your roof or your property for ground mounted systems) would be a good fit for a solar system. As a result, the federal credit is back up to 30% and got extended for ten years to 2034. Welcome to the Illinois Power Agency (IPA) Energy Workforce Equity Portal The portal is an online source designed to help connect clean energy companies with Equity Eligible Persons looking to work in the clean energy sector in Illinois. The Program provides payments in exchange for 15 years of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) from a utility contracted to buy the RECs from your Approved Vendor. The Illinois Shines program is the states equivalent of the Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC) programs and adjustable block programs in other states. Dont be. Read ourprivacy policy. Of that 25 percent, six percent must come from solar. Please note this is an incentive which is subject to tax. Distributed Generation (DG): A system which is located on-site, behind a customers meter, and used primarily to offset a single customers load; it cannot exceed 2,000 kW AC in size. Illinois separates SREC price amounts into blocks, as each block fills up the price of the SRECs goes down in the next block. The rate will drop in 2033, but solar customers were given an additional decade to take advantage of the credit. Instead, the total credit amount is applied to the income taxes you owe, which means you can only take the credit if you owe money on your taxes. Solar farms: what are they and how do they work? threshold. are valued for the total energy production from an array and therefore Considering solar can add around 4% to the average home, this could save you a lot in property taxes. With the enactment of the Public Act 102-0662, the Illinois Power Agency is tasked with numerous crucial implementation activities. However, CEJA altered the program from this cascading approach to an annual block approach. What are the best rebates and incentives to take when converting to solar in Illinois? At that time, youll be paid a lump sum for all of the credits you accrued. Community Solar are typically large systems from a minimum size of 500 kW up to 2 MW (AC) that feed into the grid and generating power for subscribers. You can answer some questions yourself, while others can be answered by your installer or sales agent. The current block rate for systems under 25kW is $75.29, but it won't be for long! Illinois Shines Opens for 2022-2023 Program Year, Re-Opens for Applications Learn more about what a REC is here: https://vimeo.com/113250210. Additionally, eligible nonprofits and public entities can apply for the Illinois Solar for All program, which aims to promote access to the benefits of solar through program incentives. For a personalized assessment of the credits and rebates you may qualify for, launch our Its possible that, as the Prairie State approaches or surpasses its RPS goal, the net energy metering credit rate will drop or go away entirely. Contact us at. The SREC is sold separately from the electricity and represents the "solar" aspect of the electricity that was produced. Phone. Usually, you can expect to receive your payment within a year of your systems completion. 105 West Madison Street, Suite 1401 Chicago, Illinois 60602, A calendar of procurement events can be accessed on. The homeowner, in turn, enjoys solar panels and the energy that they generate at a low cost. Find out how much you can receive when you register through the Illinois Shines Program with Acorn! The new guidelines are as follows: Claiming the federal tax credit in Illinois couldnt be much easier. The amount of power a solar system will generate is dependent on a variety of factors, including system size, roof angle, and sunlight. The new SREC program continues to use the Adjustable Block format and the SREC price is set by block. The SREC program in Illinois called the IL Solar Shines Program credits you for all solar power you produce with your system. The quotes would include current incentives available in your area. In fact, Illinois has better incentives than most other states. This means the price of SRECs declines as more solar energy systems are installed. Commonwealth Edison offers the top utility net metering program in Illinois. ENERGYSAGE is a registered trademark and the EnergySage logo is a trademark of EnergySage, Inc. Other trademarks are the property of either EnergySage, Inc. or our licensors and are used with permission. Illinois Solar Renewable Energy Credits help the state meet Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS), which is a regulatory mandate that sets goals for generating a percentage of Illinois overall electricity from renewable energy. In some cases, ComEd customers actually purchase energy from another supplier. Is Illinois reducing incentives for rooftop solar in the next 24 months? Solar Professional Resources And, if you send more energy to the grid than we deliver, you can receive credits on your bill. advisory with regard tocarbon emissions and renewable fuels, TRANSACTION MANAGEMENTOnline - after site upgrade is complete(expected by mid May), CLIENTSResidential and Commercial Installers Residential and Commercial System Owners MunicipalitiesUtilities in a variety of settingsand market conditions around the globe, PAYMENT OPTIONSUpfront and fixed payment options with market based pricing for existing systems, www.srectrade.comToll free: (877) 466-4606Direct: (415) 763-7732Email:clientservices@srectrade.com, SPECIALTY100% SREC transaction focus500+ MW across 35,000+ assets under management, TRANSACTION MANAGEMENTOnline bid submission and system registration for installers and system owners. See our Community Solar page for more info. What new incentives are there in Illinois following the passing of the Inflation Reduction Act? Let us help you partner with the state of Illinois to make it a better environment for all, and a better vehicle for the money you'd be spending on electricity bills. However, we dont expect this to appear in the near future. Unfortunately, the program ran out of funding in late 2020.The availability of SREC funding was divided between "Group A," which is largely run by Ameren downstate Illinois SREC incentives are managed under the Adjustable Block Program. Does Illinois have a solar sales tax exemption? Part II: The second part of the application completed after energization, demonstrating completion of the project in accordance with the Part I parameters approved. If youre an Ameren Illinois customer with a Smart Inverter that meets eligibility requirements, you can apply for the rebate here. Illinois Shines: Illinois is one of few states with a Solar Renewable Energy Credit (SREC) program to support the development of solar projects in the state. Register for free to start comparing quotes. For solar energy customers, the April settlement date will likely make more sense than the October date. TheIllinois Solar for Allprogram helps low-income households install solar panels with no upfront costs. Additionally, the IRA provides increased credits for purchasing electric vehicles. When you compare quotes for solar panels on EnergySage's competitive solar marketplace, you can expect to see prices up to 20% lower than working with a single solar company. The program maintains a list of pre-approved vendors to ensure excellent workmanship and customer protection. In addition to FEJA, the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) significantly expanded the ABP Program in 2021. Community Solar Subscriber: A person who (i) takes delivery service from an electric utility, municipal utility, or rural electric cooperative, and (ii) has a subscription of no less than 200 watts to a community renewable generation project that is located in the utilitys service area. Illinois, Missouri - (618)-444-2693 Utah, Idaho - (801)-444-5130 Illinois offers a property tax exemption for home solar installations. With the investment tax credit (ITC), now referred to as the Residential Clean Energy Credit for residential systems, you can reduce the cost of your PV solar energy system by 30 percent. As per the current law, credits carry over month to month until the end of the billing year, whereupon they expire. Its possible that in 2025 when the state reaches its RPS goal, some incentives will be abandoned or changed for the worse. Unfortunately, Illinois doesnt waive sales tax on PV equipment. Ethics Reporting Associated with Communications with the IPA provides more information. The best of EcoWatch right in your inbox. This is a perk that helps keep down the upfront cost of solar systems to make them a bit more accessible, so it would be a great addition to Illinoiss collection of benefit programs.