Rebates

Information for this program is taken from the Illinois Shines Program Guidebook and the 2024 Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan

The Illinois Shines Program is a state-administered solar incentive program created to facilitate the development of new photovoltaic distributed generation and community solar projects through the issuance of renewable energy credit delivery contracts. At least 50% of Illinois's solar REC procurement target must be supplied through this program.

Illinois Shines contains six program categories: 1) Small DG (less than or equal to 25 kW); 2) Large DG (greater than 25 kW up to 5 MW); 3) Traditional Community Solar; 4)

The direct install segment is linked to participation in either the common area or major measures segments of the program. Building owners or operators are offered low cost lighting materials (LEDs), water conservation measures (high performance showerheads and aerators) and programmable thermostats. The program oversees the distribution and installation of materials upon the receipt of a signed agreement with the project site. Program field staff will be scheduled to perform the installation of product at the complexes.

The shell measure segment offers incentives for air sealing the shell of multifamily buildings. Incentives will be paid based on the total CFM reduction

Ameren Illinois offers residential customers incentives for certain energy efficiency upgrades and improvements. All equipment must meet program efficiency and installation standards. Contact Ameren Illinois for additional information on these offerings.

Ameren Illinois offers residential customers incentives for certain energy efficiency upgrades and improvements. All equipment must meet program efficiency and installation standards. Contact Ameren for additional information on these offerings.

Much of the information presented in this summary is drawn from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Building Energy Codes Program and the Building Codes Assistance Project (BCAP). For more detailed information about building energy codes, visit the DOE and BCAP websites.

Public Act 093-0936 (Illinois Energy Conservation Code for Commercial Buildings) was signed into law in August, 2004. The Illinois Energy Conservation Code for Commercial Buildings became effective April 8, 2006. This law requires all commercial construction for which a building permit application is received by a municipality or county to follow a comprehensive statewide energy conservation code. The

The Chicago Energy Conservation Code (CECC) requires residential buildings applying for building permits to comply with energy efficient measures which go beyond those required by the Illinois Building Energy Code. The applicability of the CECC to commercial construction was superseded when the state of Illinois adopted the more stringent IECC 2009 model code. Illinois state law in 2009 also mandated the IECC 2009 model code for residential buildings, but allowed for cities of home rule and more than 1,000,000 people (which includes Chicago) to adopt more stringent rules.

The CECC establishes standards to minimize solar energy absorbed by building roofs

In June 2001, the City of Chicago signed an agreement with Commonwealth Edison and the Environmental Resources Trust to purchase 20% of its electricity from clean, renewable resources by the end of 2005. Chicago reached this goal in 2008 with a purchase of 215 million kWh of wind and biomass energy from MidAmerican Energy.  The city's plan is to maintain that 20% level for the foreseeable future. As of October 2011, the City was purchasing 20% of their power from renewables. Download the Energy Report 

For more green power purchasing program listings, visit the U.S. Department of Energy Green Power

SomerCor administers the Small Business Improvement Fund for the City of Chicago. The fund utilizes revenue from Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and supports commercial and industrial properties.

SBIF provides grants to commercial businesses for 30%, 60%, or 90% of the costs of permanent building improvements such as storefront renovation building systems, interior remodeling, and roof replacement. Industrial businesses with 200 or fewer employees are eligible for grants covering 50 of the project cost.

Steps to apply

1. Confirm your business is in a SBIF district
2. Check which districts are open
3. Review SBIF Eligibility requirements
4. Review SBIF program rules
5. Fill out an application and submit it to [email protected]
   

In 2013, the City of Chicago streamlined and standardized the permitting and zoning process for rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. Small and large rooftop PV generators can now access the City of Chicago Easy Permit Process. Qualifying projects can receive same-day permit approvals (a process that used to take 30 days) at a reduced fee of $275 (down from $375).

There are separate steps for small and large rooftop systems. Small rooftop solar PV systems are those generating less than 13.44 kilowatt (kW). Large rooftop solar PV systems are those generating greater than 13.44 kW. 

Along with the Easy Permit

The City of Chicago has published a solar zoning policy to illustrate and streamline the requirements for zoning review of solar PV systems within the city. The published policy consists of guidelines and is not an ordinance; the City reserves the right to deny zoning approval to any PV system even if it meets the requirements listed in the policy.

City Water Light and Power (CWLP) offers rebates to Springfield residential customers for increasing the energy efficiency of participating homes. Rebates are available for geothermal heat pumps, air source heat pumps, water heaters, rain barrels and high efficiency toilets. CWLP requires a post installation inspection before awarding rebates for equipment. Visit the web site for more details and application forms. Rebates are available only to CWLP electric customers.

As required by Illinois law, Commonwealth Edison offers rebates for distributed generation installation. Rebates are available as follows:

• For systems not owned by Residential or Under 100 kW Demand Class, or for Community Solar systems, the available rebate is $250 per kW
• For these customers, an additional rebate of $250 per kW is available for installation of energy storage systems
• For systems owned by Residential or Under 100 kW Demand Class customers, the available rebate is $300 per kW
• For these customers, an additional rebate of $300 per kW is available for installation of energy storage systems

Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) offers residential customers rebates for certain energy efficiency upgrades and improvements. The lighting discount is administered as an off-the-shelf discount program where purchasers receive a discount on LED light bulbs from participating retailers (see website for listing). Through the Home Energy Savings program, technicians will perform a free energy assessment in homes, install free and discounted energy-saving products and provide energy efficiency recommendations. Condo owners and renters are encouraged to have their property manager or building owner contact ComEd about the multi-family program.

See program web site for further information.

Note: Information on community renewable projects in Illinois is also listed in the Net Metering program entry.

Illinois's most recent rules for community renewable generation projects are derived from Public Act 102-0662 (titled the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act) of 2021.

Community solar projects are owned and operated by third parties, which offer subscriptions to individuals and businesses. Bill credits are provided by the electric utility at a rate which includes energy supply, transmission, and capacity values but excludes delivery service costs.

Incentives for community solar projects are provided through the Illinois Shines and Illinois Solar for All programs

On March 6, 2024, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity announced the Community Solar Energy Sovereignty Grant Program. The program supports community-based organizations and technical service providers in low-income and historically disadvantaged communities to plan, develop and execute community solar projects. Grantees will be selected through a competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) process. Applications will be accepted until July 1, 2024 at 5:00 PM.

The goal of this grant program is to provide upfront seed capital funding to overcome barriers to project development caused by lack of capital in historically disadvantaged communities. The program prioritizes funding for

Illinois residents that purchase a new or used all-electric vehicle from an Illinois licensed dealer may be eligible for an Illinois' Electric Vehicle Rebate in the amounts set forth below.

• A $4,000 rebate for the purchase of an all-electric vehicle that is not an electric motorcycle.
• A $1,500 rebate for the purchase of an all-electric motorcycle.

Applicants must apply for the rebate during an open rebate cycle and within 90-days of vehicle purchase using the application forms available on this webpage during the open rebate cycle. The most recent rebate cycle opened November 1, 2023, and ran through January 31

State Green Building Standards
Illinois requires that all new state-funded construction or major renovations are required to seek LEED, Green Globes, or equivalent certification. The Green Buildings Act (July 2009) defines major renovations as projects with a budget of at least 40% of a building's replacement cost and makes the following requirements based on the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system:

• New buildings and major renovations of less than 10,000 square feet must meet the highest LEED standard (or equivalent standard) that is practical. Certification is not required.
• New buildings and renovations of

Note: All grant applications for this cycle have closed. Updates will be posted in the future. For more information see the above website.

The Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation (ICECF) was established in December 1999 as an independent foundation with a $225 million endowment provided by Commonwealth Edison. The ICECF invests in clean-energy development and land-preservation efforts, working with communities and citizens to improve environmental quality in Illinois. The ICECF provides competitive grants to programs and projects that improve energy efficiency, develop renewable energy resources, and preserve and enhance natural areas and wildlife habitats in Illinois.

Net Zero Energy Wastewater

Note:  In 2010, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA), which has authority over mortgage underwriters Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, directed these enterprises against purchasing mortgages of homes with a PACE lien due to its senior status above a mortgage. Most residential PACE activity subsided following this directive; however, some residential PACE programs are now operating with loan loss reserve funds, appropriate disclosures, or other protections meant to address FHFA's concerns. Commercial PACE programs were not directly affected by FHFA’s actions, as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac do not underwrite commercial mortgages. Visit PACENation for more information about PACE financing

Illinois law prohibits homeowners' associations, common interest community associations and condominium unit owners' associations from preventing homeowners from using or installing solar energy systems. These associations may not deny homeowners permission to install solar energy systems, but they may specify the location of the solar energy system, as long as such specifications do not "impair the effective operation" of the system. In July 2011, the legislature enacted a bill (Public Act 97-0105) which added a provision for wind energy. A homeowner's association or similar entity may restrict wind energy devices altogether.

The law stipulates that associations must adopt an energy

Information for this program is taken from the 2024 Long-Term Renewable Resources Procurement Plan

As part of its Renewable Portfolio Standard, Illinois operates two SREC purchase programs to support deployment of solar photovoltaic generation.

By offering more generous REC prices than the Illinois Shines program, the Illinois Solar for All program incents low-income residents (as well as non-profit and public facilities) to participate in solar projects, whether as a system owner, community solar project subscriber, or system host.

The Illinois Solar for All Program consists of four sub-programs: the Low-Income Single-Family and Small Multifamily Solar Incentive (also referred

Illinois uses a specific formula to value commercial solar energy systems for property tax purposes in counties with fewer than 3 million inhabitants. "Commercial" in this sense means that the system is used primarily to generate electricity for wholesale or retail sale, rather than referring to the customer class.

The valuation formula is calculated by substracting allowance for physical depreciation from the trended real property cost basis (set at $218,000 per MW of nameplate capacity in 2018, with adjustments for CPI inflation). More information is available here.

In December 2016, the Illinois Commerce Commission issued an order making changes to the state's interconnection rules for distributed generation facilities.

In August 2007, Illinois enacted legislation (S.B. 680) requiring the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC) to establish standards for net metering and interconnection for renewable energy systems by April 1, 2008. Although S.B. 680 only requires the promulgation of interconnection standards for "eligible renewable generating equipment," the ICC chose to take this opportunity to develop standards for all distributed generation up to 10 megawatts (MW). Final interconnection standards were adopted by the ICC in August 2008. In March 2010, the

Jo-Carroll Energy Cooperative, Inc. (JCECI) offers a variety of rebates on energy efficient equipment to members receiving electric or natural gas service from JCECI. Both residential and commercial customers are eligible for incentives through this program. Rebates are available for the purchase and installation of qualifying ENERGY STAR rated washers, dishwashers, dehumidifiers, refrigerators, lighting, and window air conditioning units, as well as heat pumps, boilers, furnaces and natural gas water heaters. An appliance recycling rebate of $25 is also available, which rewards members for the proper recycling of older appliances. Applications for both electric and natural gas customers are available

MidAmerican Energy offers a variety of incentives for residential customers to improve the energy efficiency of eligible homes. The program links below provide information on specific rebate amounts, efficiency, further details and requirements. After installing qualifying equipment, customers should submit a completed Equipment Rebate Application and a detailed invoice to MidAmerican. Heating and cooling dealers have a supply of Equipment Rebate Applications and will participate with customers. Applications must be postmarked by stated date in order to receive rebates.

MidAmerican Energy offers a variety of incentives for residential customers to improve the energy efficiency of participating homes. Electric customers of MidAmerican Energy qualify for rebates or discounts on programmable thermostats, air source heat pumps, add-on heat pumps, ground-source heat pumps, central air conditioning units and room air conditioning units. The Residential Equipment Brochure on the program web site above provides specific rebate amounts, details and requirements. After installing qualifying equipment, customers should submit a completed Equipment Rebate Application and a detailed invoice to MidAmerican. Equipment must be purchased, installed and operating between January 1, 2024, and December 31, 2024

MidAmerican Energy offers several energy efficiency incentives for residential customers. Incentives are grouped into instant discounts and rebate offerings.

Note: The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (Illinois Public Act 102-0662) removed the 5% aggregate cap on net metering and replaced it with a threshold date of December 31, 2024, or when utility tariffs setting new compensation values are approved, whichever is later. This law also raised the individual system size cap to 5 MW, although systems must still be sized to meet on-site electricity needs.

Note: The Future Energy Jobs Act (Illinois Public Act 99-0906) did not change Illinois' basic net metering rules; the 5% aggregate cap remained in place and a new compensation process will be developed when

Certain energy efficient products are eligible for Nicor Gas rebates such as furnaces, boilers, air sealing and insulation, and more. Applications must be postmarked no later than 90 days after installation. Visit the website for complete rules. 

The North Shore Gas Natural Gas Savings Program offers incentives to encourage customers to make energy-efficient improvements to their homes and apartment buildings. Rebates are available on energy efficient furnaces, boilers, water heaters, controls and insulation. To qualify, gas furnaces, boilers, and water heaters must be installed by professional contractors. Property owners of multifamily units may also participate in this program. A full list of eligible models and insulation and instructions on how to apply for the rebates can be found on the Natural Gas Savings Program web site. Applications must be made no later than 30 days after the

Peoples Gas customers have opportunities to reduce energy usage with a FREE assessment that includes free and discounted products for your home. The Home Energy Jumpstart Program is offered in partnership with ComEd. Homeowners can reduce their energy and water use with free installation of these products, available to owners of single-family homes, two-flats, and individually metered condos and townhomes. Renters are also eligible, with permission from their landlord. Schedule an appointment online, or call 855-660-9378.

The Illinois Municipal Electricity Agency (IMEA), a nonprofit organization representing 33 Illinois municipal and co-op electricity providers, administers the Illinois Recycle My Fridge program in combination with Appliance Recycling Centers of America (ARCA), Inc.

People who receive their electricity from an IMEA-member electric system may participate. The program will pick up up to two old, working refrigerators or freezers from the participant's home. The participant receives a $50 prepaid card for each qualifying refrigerator or freezer. The refrigerators and/or freezers must be secondary units (the units to be recycled may not be the home's primary refrigerator/freezer) and must be between

The Illinois Finance Authority (IFA) is a state conduit issuer of tax-exempt bonds and credit enhancement for projects in Illinois. IFA funding is available to commercial and non-profit entities as long as those entities meet strict eligibility criteria. In 2012, the legislature also added schools and community colleges to the list of eligible entities for energy conservation funding. Entities seeking funding must demonstrate that their projects provide a significant public benefit for the citizens of Illinois. In 2009, the IFA was authorized by legislation (S.B. 1906 and S.B. 390) to provide funding via issuance of tax-exempt bonds for renewable energy

According to § 20 ILCS 687/6-4, the statute this trust is under will be repealed on December 31, 2021. 

Illinois's 1997 electric-industry restructuring legislation created separate public benefits funds that support renewable energy and residential energy efficiency. The Renewable Energy Resources Trust Fund (RERTF) supports renewables through grants, loans and other incentives administered by the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). The funding mechanism was established for 10 years in January 1998. In August 2007, funding was extended through December 12, 2015.

Renewable-energy projects eligible for RERTF support include wind energy, solar-thermal energy, photovoltaics, dedicated crops

Note: Public Act 102-0662, the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), enacted in September 2021, increased the RPS to require 50% renewable energy by 2040. This law also says that it is the policy of the state to rapidly transition to 100% clean energy by 2050.

Under CEJA, the 25% target by 2025 remains in place, and will increase by at least 3% each year from 2025 to 2030 until reaching 40% in 2030. Thereafter, the Illinois Power Agency will determine the specific increase each year, attempting to procure 50% by delivery year 2040, taking into account energy demand, other

Each utility has specific energy efficiency products that qualify for energy efficiency loans, as both gas and electric utilities are program participants. Generally, natural gas customers

Note: The Illinois Power Agency's proposed 2016 procurement includes one-year SREC procurements of 34,207 SRECs for Ameren, 69,866 SRECs for ComEd, and 13,225 SRECs for MidAmerican. It also includes separate five-year distributed generation (DG) REC procurements of 7,767 DG RECs for Ameren,16,294 DG RECs for ComEd, 2,204 DG RECs for MidAmerican. See the IPA website and Docket 15-0541 for more information on procurement plans.

In August 2007, Illinois enacted legislation (Public Act 095-0481) that created the Illinois Power Agency (IPA). The agency’s purpose is to develop electricity procurement plans for investor-owned electric utilities (EUs) supplying over 100,000 Illinois customers to

Illinois offers a special assessment of solar energy systems for property tax purposes. When a claim for alternate valuation is filed, the chief county assessment officer is required to ascertain two values: the value of the improvements as if equipped with a conventional heating or cooling system and the value of the improvements as equipped with the solar energy system. The alternate valuation is the lesser of these two values.

Eligible equipment includes both active and passive solar energy systems. The exemption is not valid for equipment that is equally usable in a conventional energy system or for components that

The St. Charles Municipal Electric Utility Green Power Program offers convenient, renewable energy certificates in partnership with ComEd and Community Energy, Inc. Each block represents energy produced by wind, biomass, solar, hydro, or another green power source.

While Illinois does not have a model wind ordinance* in place, it has established a maximum setback limit for wind turbines.** State law has established that no municipality or county government may require a wind turbine (or other renewable energy system) used for onsite energy generation to be setback more than 1.1 times the height of the system from the end user's property line. Under H.B. 1201, municipalities may prohibit any electric-generating wind device with a nameplate capacity of 100 kilowatts or greater permitted after August 9, 2013, from locating within its corporate limits.

The Illinois Institute for Rural

Note: Rebates Available : 01/01/2023 - 02/29/2024

Wabash Valley Power Association (WVPA) a not-for-profit cooperative that generates and transmits electricity to 23 rural co-ops across Indiana, Illinois and Missouri. View the WVPA membership webpage to view all participating members of the association. WVPA offers a number of rebates to residential customers of these member organizations. Rebates are available for heat pump water heaters, geothermal and air-source heat pumps, and HVAC equipment.

A signed application and installation invoice must be received by Wabash Valley Power within 60 days of the installation completion date. View the program web site listed above for