Beat rising ComEd & Ameren rates

Yes, in a way. Under Illinois's Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA), the state's renewable energy goals are 40% by 2030 and 50% by 2040, on the way to 100% clean energy by 2050. To help get there, Illinois supports new solar and wind projects through programs like Illinois Shines that buy their renewable energy credits, and that's funded through a charge on ComEd and Ameren Illinois customers' bills (listed as "Renewable Portfolio Standard" on ComEd bills and "Renewable Energy Adjustment" on Ameren bills). So every month you're already helping pay for renewable energy, but none of it is on your roof.

If your home gets good, unshaded sun, solar puts that clean power right on your roof, so more of the power you use is made at home instead of coming from the utility, and adding a home battery can also keep essentials running during outages. We'll check your roof's sun and your bill to see if it makes sense for your home.

Standard grid-tied solar shuts off during a grid outage for line-worker safety, so panels alone won't power your home in a blackout. Adding a home battery stores your solar energy so it can power selected circuits (or more, depending on size) when the grid is down, and recharges from your panels during the day. Your advisor can walk you through essential-circuit vs. larger backup setups and what makes sense for your home.

For residential systems that started net metering on or after January 1, 2025, extra solar energy you send to the grid earns credits against the supply portion of your bill (Ameren also credits transmission). Those credits carry over from month to month. Delivery charges aren't offset by exported energy, so sizing your system to your real usage matters more than ever.

Illinois Shines (the Adjustable Block Program) is the state program that pays for the renewable energy credits (RECs) your system generates. Payments go through an Approved Vendor, often your installer, and how they're passed on to you varies. Recent Illinois legislation changed how REC payments are scheduled for new residential projects, so it's worth comparing how each installer handles them.

Yes. Our free Second Look Audit compares your quoted system size, price per watt, battery and backup options, Illinois Shines handling, and financing terms against what a fair Illinois deal looks like. If something looks off, you'll know before you're locked in. Check the Second Look box in step 3 of the form.

Yes, your savings breakdown and Second Look are free, with no obligation. That's different from the "$0 down" you see in a lot of solar ads. $0 down is a financing option, not a discount, and many solar providers offer it through the same handful of solar financing companies. So $0 down by itself isn't what sets one offer apart; the rate, the term and who owns the system are what to compare.

After you submit, a local Illinois solar advisor will reach out to walk you through your breakdown. CompareQuote and its installer partners may contact you about your request, and you can opt out anytime.

It's a PPA, or power purchase agreement. You don't buy or lease the panels. The solar company owns, installs and maintains the system on your roof, and you pay for the power it produces at the rate set in your agreement. Because the company owns the system, it handles the equipment and keeps any utility incentives tied to it. Your advisor will walk you through your rate, how it may change over time, and the length of the agreement before you sign anything.