Home solar in Illinois: prices, net metering, what is left in 2026
What Illinois homeowners pay for solar in 2026, how the state's export rules work, and which incentives survived - verified against state sources, town by town.
Installed home solar in Illinois compares against the U.S. marketplace average of about $2.58 a watt - roughly $30,960 for 12 kW.
The 30% federal solar credit ended December 31, 2025 - Illinois installations completed in 2026 get $0 from it.
A home battery in Illinois runs about $12,000-$16,000 installed, before any state storage incentive.
Whether solar still pays in Illinois after the federal credit's end comes down to arithmetic, not ideology: installed cost (about $2.58 a watt at the marketplace average), what your utility pays for exports, and how much of your generation you use yourself. High self-consumption - daytime usage, EV charging, batteries - is now the biggest lever.
Illinois rules that decide your payback
| Rule | Illinois status |
|---|---|
| Export compensation (net metering) | For systems interconnected on or after January 1, 2025, Illinois no longer offers full-retail net metering: exports are credited only at the electricity-supply rate while the customer keeps paying delivery charges on all electricity drawn from the grid, and those customers are also eligible for a one-time distributed-generation "smart inverter" rebate of at least $300/kW (residential) from ComEd, Ameren, or MidAmerican. |
| State incentive | Illinois Shines (Adjustable Block Program) REC payments, Illinois Solar for All for income-eligible households, and the utility Distributed Generation / Smart Inverter Rebate (at least $300/kW residential) |
| Sales tax on the system | Not exempt - taxed like any purchase |
| Property tax on added home value | Excluded |
Customers who had full-retail net metering before January 1, 2025 keep it for the lifetime of the system, so two neighbors can be on very different deals; community solar subscriptions are available only in the ComEd and Ameren service territories.
This guide is research, not advice: an independent summary of published prices and state rules. It is not an installer, lender or tax advisor - verify incentive eligibility with a licensed tax professional before relying on it.
What installed solar costs in 2026
| System size | Installed price (marketplace avg) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 6 kW | $15,480 | Small roof / low usage |
| 8 kW | $20,640 | Typical starter system |
| 10 kW | $25,800 | Family home with AC |
| 12 kW | $30,960 | Large home / EV charging |
| Home battery (optional) | $12,000-$16,000 | Backup power + self-consumption |
Compare solar quotes for Illinois
These platforms collect bids from licensed installers so you can compare against the same spec. Prices come from installers, not from this site.
Disclosure: this is an independent guide. If you request quotes through a link here, the platform may pay this site a referral fee. That fee never changes your quotes.
The 30% federal tax credit is gone for 2026 installations
The federal Residential Clean Energy Credit (30%) was repealed by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed July 4, 2025. Per the IRS, the credit is not available for any property placed in service after December 31, 2025 - and the IRS counts the installation completion date, not the contract date.
Common questions
How much does home solar cost in 2026?
The U.S. marketplace average is about $2.58 per watt installed - roughly $15,500 for a 6 kW system and $31,000 for 12 kW, before any state incentives. Quotes meaningfully above that level deserve a written explanation of what justifies the premium.
How long do solar panels actually last?
Panels are typically warrantied for 25 years of production and commonly outlive it, losing about 0.5% output per year. Inverters are the component that usually needs replacement - typically once, around year 12-15, at a few thousand dollars.
Is my roof even suitable for solar?
Three things decide it: orientation (south-facing is best in the U.S., east-west workable), shade (trees or taller buildings across midday hours can sink the math), and roof age (if the shingles have under 10 years left, reroof first - removing and reinstalling panels later costs thousands). Any honest installer assesses all three before quoting a number.
Should I lease, get a PPA, or buy?
Buying keeps all savings and any incentives with you. Leases and PPAs put a company's equipment on your roof for 20-25 years, complicate a home sale, and in 2026 any tax benefits they advertise belong to the company under commercial rules - not to you. Read escalator clauses carefully.
Do I need a battery with my solar?
Not necessarily. Under full retail net metering, the grid effectively stores your surplus for free. Batteries earn their $12,000-16,000 price where export rates are low, outages are common, or time-of-use rates make evening self-consumption valuable.
What is net metering and why does it decide everything?
It is the rule for how your utility credits electricity you export. Full retail net metering credits exports at the same rate you pay - the grid works like a free battery. Net billing or avoided-cost rules pay far less per exported kWh, which lengthens payback and strengthens the case for a home battery.
Compare solar quotes for Illinois
These platforms collect bids from licensed installers so you can compare against the same spec. Prices come from installers, not from this site.
Disclosure: this is an independent guide. If you request quotes through a link here, the platform may pay this site a referral fee. That fee never changes your quotes.
Prices by city
Abingdon · Addieville · Addison · Adeline · Albany · Albers · Albion · Aledo · Alexis · Algonquin · Alhambra · Allendale · Allenville · Allerton · Alma · Alpha · Alsey · Alsip · Altamont · Alto Pass · Alton · Altona · Alvan (Alvin) · Amboy · Anchor · Andalusia · Andover · Anna · Annawan · Antioch · Apple River · Arcola · Arenzville · Argenta · Arlington · Arlington Heights · Armington · Aroma Park · Arrowsmith · Arthur · Ashkum · Ashland · Ashley · Ashmore · Ashton · Assumption · Astoria · Athens · Atkinson · Atlanta · Atwood · Auburn · Augusta · Aurora · Ava · Aviston · Avon · Baldwin · Banner · Bannockburn · Bardolph · Barrington · Barrington Hills · Barry · Bartelso · Bartlett · Bartonville · Basco · Batavia · Batchtown · Bath · Bay View Gardens · Baylis · Beach Park · Beardstown · Beaverville · Beckemeyer · Bedford Park · Beecher · Beecher City · Belgium · Belknap · Belle Prairie City · Belle Rive · Belleville · Bellevue · Bellflower · Bellmont · Bellwood · Belvidere · Bement · Benld · Bensenville · Benson · Bentley · Benton · Berkeley · Berlin · Berwyn · Bethalto · Bethany · Big Rock · Biggsville · Bingham · Bishop Hill · Bismarck · Blandinsville · Bloomingdale · Bloomington · Blue Island · Blue Mound · Bluffs · Bluford · Bolingbrook · Bondville · Bone Gap · Bonfield · Bonnie · Bourbonnais · Bowen · Braceville · Bradford · Bradley · Braidwood · Breese · Bridgeport · Bridgeview · Brighton · Brimfield · Broadlands · Broadview · Broadwell · Brocton · Brookfield · Brooklyn · Brookport · Broughton · Browning · Browns · Brownstown · Brussels · Bryant · Buckingham · Buckley · Buckner · Buda · Buffalo · Buffalo Grove · Bull Valley · Bulpitt · Buncombe · Bunker Hill · Burbank · Bureau Junction · Burlington · Burnham · Burnt Prairie · Burr Ridge · Bush · Bushnell · Butler · Byron · Cabery · Cahokia Heights · Cairo · Caledonia · Calhoun · Calumet City · Calumet Park · Camargo · Cambria · Cambridge · Camden · Camp Point · Campbell Hill · Campton Hills · Campus · Canton · Cantrall · Capron · Carbon Cliff · Carbon Hill · Carbondale · Carlinville · Carlock · Carlyle · Carmi · Carol Stream · Carpentersville · Carrier Mills · Carrollton · Carterville · Carthage · Cary · Casey · Caseyville · Catlin · Cave-In-Rock · Cedar Point · Cedarville · Central City · Centralia · Cerro Gordo · Chadwick · Champaign · Chandlerville · Channahon · Chapin · Charleston · Chatham · Chatsworth · Chebanse · Chenoa · Cherry · Cherry Valley · Chester · Chesterfield · Chicago · Chicago Heights · Chicago Ridge · Chillicothe · Chrisman · Christopher · Cicero · Cisco · Cisne · Cissna Park · Claremont · Clarendon Hills · Clay City · Clayton · Cleveland · Clifton · Clinton · Coal City · Coal Valley · Coalton · Coatsburg · Cobden · Coffeen · Colchester · Coleta · Colfax · Collinsville · Colona · Colp · Columbia · Columbus · Compton · Concord · Congerville · Cooksville · Cordova · Cornell · Cortland · Coulterville · Country Club Hills · Countryside · Cowden · Crainville · Creal Springs · Crescent City · Crest Hill · Creston · Crestwood · Crete · Creve Coeur · Crossville · Crystal Lake · Cuba · Cullom · Curran · Cutler · Cypress · Dahlgren · Dakota · Dallas City · Dalton City · Dalzell · Damiansville · Dana · Danforth · Danvers · Danville · Darien · Davis · Davis Junction · Dawson · De Land · De Pue · De Soto · De Witt · DeKalb · Decatur · Deer Creek · Deer Grove · Deer Park · Deerfield · Delavan · Des Plaines · Detroit · Diamond · Dieterich · Divernon · Dix · Dixmoor · Dixon · Dolton · Dongola · Donnellson · Donovan · Dorchester · Dover · Dowell · Downers Grove · Downs · Du Bois · Du Quoin · Dunfermline · Dunlap · Dupo · Durand · Dwight · Eagarville · Earlville · East Alton · East Brooklyn · East Cape Girardeau · East Carondelet · East Dubuque · East Dundee · East Galesburg · East Gillespie · East Hazel Crest · East Moline · East Peoria · East St. Louis · Easton · Eddyville · Edgewood · Edinburg · Edwardsville · Effingham · El Dara · El Paso · Elburn · Eldorado · Eldred · Elgin · Elizabeth · Elizabethtown · Elk Grove Village · Elkhart · Elkville · Elliott · Ellis Grove · Ellisville · Ellsworth · Elmhurst · Elmwood · Elmwood Park · Elsah · Elvaston · Elwood · Emden · Emington · Energy · Enfield · Equality · Erie · Essex · Eureka · Evanston · Evansville · Evergreen Park · Ewing · Exeter · Fairbury · Fairfield · Fairmont City · Fairmount · Fairview · Fairview Heights · Farina · Farmer City · Farmersville · Farmington · Fayetteville · Ferris · Fidelity · Fieldon · Fillmore · Findlay · Fisher · Fithian · Flanagan · Flat Rock · Flora · Florence · Flossmoor · Foosland · Ford Heights · Forest City · Forest Park · Forest View · Forrest · Forreston · Forsyth · Fox Lake · Fox River Grove · Frankfort · Franklin · Franklin Grove · Franklin Park · Freeburg · Freeman Spur · Freeport · Fulton · Fults · Galatia · Galena · Galesburg · Galva · Gardner · Garrett · Gays · Geneseo · Geneva · Genoa · Georgetown · German Valley · Germantown · Germantown Hills · Gibson City · Gifford · Gilberts · Gillespie · Gilman · Girard · Gladstone · Glasford · Glasgow · Glen Carbon · Glen Ellyn · Glencoe · Glendale Heights · Glenview · Glenwood · Godfrey · Godley · Golconda · Golden · Golden Gate · Golf · Good Hope · Goodfield · Goreville · Gorham · Grafton · Grand Ridge · Grand Tower · Grandview · Granite City · Grant Park · Grantfork · Granville · Grayslake · Grayville · Green Oaks · Green Valley · Greenfield · Greenup · Greenview · Greenville · Greenwood · Gridley · Griggsville · Gulfport · Gurnee · Hainesville · Hamburg · Hamel · Hamilton · Hammond · Hampshire · Hampton · Hanaford · Hanna City · Hanover · Hanover Park · Hardin · Harmon · Harrisburg · Harristown · Hartford · Hartsburg · Harvard · Harvel · Harvey · Harwood Heights · Havana · Hawthorn Woods · Hazel Crest · Hebron · Hecker · Henderson · Hennepin · Henning · Henry · Herrick · Herrin · Herscher · Hettick · Heyworth · Hickory Hills · Hidalgo · Highland · Highland Park · Highwood · Hillcrest · Hillsboro · Hillsdale · Hillside · Hillview · Hinckley · Hindsboro · Hinsdale · Hodgkins · Hoffman · Hoffman Estates · Holiday Hills · Hollowayville · Homer · Homer Glen · Hometown · Homewood · Hoopeston · Hooppole · Hopedale · Hopewell · Hopkins Park · Hoyleton · Hudson · Huey · Hull · Humboldt · Hume · Huntley · Hurst · Hutsonville · Illiopolis · Ina · Indian Creek · Indian Head Park · Indianola · Industry · Inverness · Iola · Ipava · Iroquois · Irving · Irvington · Irwin · Island Lake · Itasca · Iuka · Ivesdale · Jacksonville · Jeffersonville · Jeisyville · Jerome · Jerseyville · Jewett · Johnsburg · Johnsonville · Johnston City · Joliet · Jonesboro · Joppa · Joy · Junction · Junction City · Justice · Kampsville · Kane · Kaneville · Kangley · Kankakee · Kansas · Kappa · Karnak · Kaskaskia · Keenes · Keensburg · Keithsburg · Kell · Kempton · Kenilworth · Kenney · Kewanee · Keyesport · Kilbourne · Kildeer · Kincaid · Kinderhook · Kingston · Kingston Mines · Kinmundy · Kinsman · Kirkland · Kirkwood · Knoxville · La Fayette · La Grange · La Grange Park · La Harpe · La Moille · La Prairie · La Rose · LaSalle · Lacon · Ladd · Lake Barrington · Lake Bluff · Lake Forest · Lake Ka-Ho · Lake Villa · Lake Zurich · Lake in the Hills · Lakemoor · Lakewood · Lanark · Lansing · Latham · Lawrenceville · Le Roy · Leaf River · Lebanon · Lee · Leland · Leland Grove · Lemont · Lena · Lenzburg · Leonore · Lerna · Lewistown · Lexington · Liberty · Libertyville · Lily Lake · Lima · Limestone · Lincoln · Lincolnshire · Lincolnwood · Lindenhurst · Lisbon · Lisle · Litchfield · Little York · Littleton · Liverpool · Livingston · Loami · Lockport · Loda · Lomax · Lombard · London Mills · Long Creek · Long Grove · Long Point · Longview · Loraine · Lostant · Louisville · Loves Park · Lovington · Ludlow · Lyndon · Lynnville · Lynwood · Lyons · Macedonia · Machesney Park · Mackinaw · Macomb · Macon · Madison · Maeystown · Magnolia · Mahomet · Makanda · Malden · Malta · Manchester · Manhattan · Manito · Manlius · Mansfield · Manteno · Maple Park · Mapleton · Maquon · Marengo · Marietta · Marine · Marion · Marissa · Mark · Markham · Maroa · Marquette Heights · Marseilles · Marshall · Martinsville · Martinton · Maryville · Mascoutah · Mason · Mason City · Matherville · Matteson · Mattoon · Maunie · Maywood · Mazon · McClure · McCook · McCullom Lake · McHenry · McLean · McLeansboro · McNabb · Mechanicsburg · Media · Medora · Melrose Park · Melvin · Mendon · Mendota · Menominee · Meredosia · Merrionette Park · Metamora · Metcalf · Metropolis · Mettawa · Middletown · Midlothian · Milan · Milford · Mill Creek · Mill Shoals · Millbrook · Milledgeville · Millington · Millstadt · Milton · Mineral · Minier · Minonk · Minooka · Modesto · Mokena · Moline · Momence · Monee · Monmouth · Monroe Center · Montgomery · Monticello · Montrose · Morris · Morrison · Morrisonville · Morton · Morton Grove · Mound City · Mound Station · Mounds · Mount Auburn · Mount Carmel · Mount Carroll · Mount Clare · Mount Erie · Mount Morris · Mount Olive · Mount Prospect · Mount Pulaski · Mount Sterling · Mount Vernon · Mount Zion · Moweaqua · Muddy · Mulberry Grove · Muncie · Mundelein · Murphysboro · Murrayville · Naperville · Naplate · Naples · Nashville · Nason · Nauvoo · Nebo · Nelson · Neoga · Neponset · New Athens · New Baden · New Bedford · New Berlin · New Boston · New Burnside · New Canton · New Douglas · New Grand Chain · New Haven · New Holland · New Lenox · New Milford · New Minden · New Salem · Newark · Newman · Newton · Niantic · Niles · Nilwood · Noble · Nokomis · Nora · Normal · Norridge · Norris · Norris City · North Aurora · North Barrington · North Chicago · North City · North Henderson · North Pekin · North Riverside · North Utica · Northbrook · Northfield · Northlake · Norwood · O'Fallon · Oak Brook · Oak Forest · Oak Grove · Oak Lawn · Oak Park · Oakbrook Terrace · Oakdale · Oakford · Oakland · Oakwood · Oakwood Hills · Oblong · Oconee · Odell · Odin · Ogden · Oglesby · Ohio · Ohlman · Okawville · Old Mill Creek · Old Ripley · Old Shawneetown · Olmsted · Olney · Olympia Fields · Omaha · Onarga · Oneida · Oquawka · Orangeville · Oreana · Oregon · Orient · Orion · Orland Hills · Orland Park · Oswego · Ottawa · Otterville · Owaneco · Palatine · Palestine · Palmer · Palmyra · Palos Heights · Palos Hills · Palos Park · Pana · Panama · Panola · Papineau · Paris · Park City · Park Forest · Park Ridge · Parkersburg · Patoka · Paw Paw · Pawnee · Paxton · Payson · Pearl · Pearl City · Pecatonica · Pekin · Peoria · Peoria Heights · Peotone · Percy · Perry · Peru · Pesotum · Petersburg · Phillipstown · Philo · Phoenix · Pierron · Pinckneyville · Pingree Grove · Piper City · Pittsburg · Pittsfield · Plainfield · Plainville · Plano · Plattville · Pleasant Hill · Pleasant Plains · Plymouth · Pocahontas · Polo · Pontiac · Pontoon Beach · Pontoosuc · Poplar Grove · Port Barrington · Port Byron · Posen · Potomac · Prairie City · Prairie Grove · Prairie du Rocher · Princeton · Princeville · Prophetstown · Prospect Heights · Pulaski · Quincy · Radom · Raleigh · Ramsey · Rankin · Ransom · Rantoul · Rapids City · Raritan · Raymond · Red Bud · Reddick · Redmon · Reynolds · Richmond · Richton Park · Richview · Ridge Farm · Ridgway · Ridott · Ringwood · Rio · Ripley · River Forest · River Grove · Riverdale · Riverside · Riverton · Riverwoods · Roanoke · Robbins · Roberts · Robinson · Rochelle · Rochester · Rock City · Rock Falls · Rock Island · Rockbridge · Rockdale · Rockford · Rockton · Rockwood · Rolling Meadows · Romeoville · Roodhouse · Roscoe · Rose Hill · Roselle · Rosemont · Roseville · Rosiclare · Rossville · Round Lake · Round Lake Beach · Round Lake Heights · Round Lake Park · Roxana · Royal · Royal Lakes · Royalton · Ruma · Rushville · Russellville · Rutland · Sadorus · Sailor Springs · Salem · Sammons Point · San Jose · Sandoval · Sandwich · Sauget · Sauk Village · Saunemin · Savanna · Savoy · Sawyerville · Saybrook · Scales Mound · Schaumburg · Schiller Park · Schram City · Sciota · Scottville · Seaton · Seatonville · Secor · Seneca · Sesser · Shabbona · Shannon · Shawneetown · Sheffield · Shelbyville · Sheldon · Sheridan · Sherman · Sherrard · Shiloh · Shipman · Shorewood · Shumway · Sibley · Sidell · Sidney · Sigel · Silvis · Simpson · Sims · Skokie · Sleepy Hollow · Smithboro · Smithfield · Smithton · Somonauk · Sorento · South Barrington · South Beloit · South Chicago Heights · South Elgin · South Holland · South Jacksonville · South Pekin · South Roxana · South Wilmington · Southern View · Sparland · Sparta · Spaulding · Spillertown · Spring Bay · Spring Grove · Spring Valley · Springerton · Springfield · St. Anne · St. Augustine · St. Charles · St. David · St. Elmo · St. Francisville · St. Jacob · St. Johns · St. Joseph · St. Libory · St. Peter · St. Rose · Standard · Standard City · Stanford · Staunton · Ste. Marie · Steeleville · Steger · Sterling · Steward · Stewardson · Stickney · Stillman Valley · Stockton · Stone Park · Stonefort · Stonington · Stoy · Strasburg · Strawn · Streamwood · Streator · Stronghurst · Sublette · Sugar Grove · Sullivan · Summerfield · Summit · Sumner · Sun River Terrace · Swansea · Sycamore · Symerton · Table Grove · Tallula · Tamaroa · Tamms · Tampico · Taylor Springs · Taylorville · Tennessee · Teutopolis · Thawville · Thayer · Thebes · Third Lake · Thomasboro · Thompsonville · Thomson · Thornton · Tilden · Tilton · Timberlane · Tinley Park · Tiskilwa · Toledo · Tolono · Toluca · Tonica · Topeka · Toulon · Tovey · Towanda · Tower Hill · Tower Lakes · Tremont · Trenton · Trout Valley · Troy · Troy Grove · Tuscola · Ullin · Union · Union Hill · University Park · Urbana · Ursa · Valier · Valley City · Valmeyer · Vandalia · Varna · Venedy · Venice · Vergennes · Vermilion · Vermont · Vernon · Vernon Hills · Verona · Versailles · Victoria · Vienna · Villa Grove · Villa Park · Viola · Virden · Virgil · Virginia · Volo · Wadsworth · Waggoner · Walnut · Walnut Hill · Walshville · Waltonville · Wamac · Wapella · Warren · Warrensburg · Warrenville · Warsaw · Washburn · Washington · Washington Park · Wataga · Waterloo · Waterman · Watseka · Watson · Wauconda · Waukegan · Waverly · Wayne · Wayne City · Waynesville · Weldon · Wellington · Wenona · Wenonah · West Brooklyn · West Chicago · West City · West Dundee · West Frankfort · West Peoria · West Point · West Salem · Westchester · Western Springs · Westfield · Westmont · Westville · Wheaton · Wheeler · Wheeling · White City · White Hall · Williamsfield · Williamson · Williamsville · Willisville · Willow Hill · Willow Springs · Willowbrook · Wilmette · Wilmington · Wilsonville · Winchester · Windsor · Winfield · Winnebago · Winnetka · Winslow · Winthrop Harbor · Witt · Wonder Lake · Wood Dale · Wood River · Woodhull · Woodland · Woodlawn · Woodridge · Woodson · Woodstock · Worden · Worth · Wyanet · Wyoming · Xenia · Yale · Yates City · Yorkville · Zeigler · Zion