Illinois · Rebate

ComEd Smart Inverter Rebate

A direct payment toward residential solar installs in Illinois -- see the rebate amount, eligibility, and the payback impact below.

Up to $300
stated benefit
Residential
eligible customers
14 yr
Illinois baseline payback
4
other Illinois programs

What it means

In Illinois, a 6 kW system already pays back in about 14 years on ~$1,243/year of modeled savings, and the ComEd Smart Inverter Rebate stacks on top of that, on top of any federal credit.

Up to $300
stated benefit
14 yr
baseline payback (pre-incentive)
5
Illinois programs that stack
full
net-metering policy

Payback and savings are modeled from public NREL/EIA data; the program benefit is summarized from DSIRE and may change.

Program description

ComEd customers receive rebates for upgrading to smart grid-enabled solar inverters.

Program at a glance

Program type
Rebate
Eligible customers
Residential
Stated benefit
Up to $300
State electricity rate
16.5¢/kWh
Illinois solar score
28/100

How Illinois compares to the U.S. average

Why this incentive matters more (or less) here - Illinois's solar fundamentals against the national average.

Irradiance
Illinois: 4.3 kWh/m²/day
U.S. avg: 4.82 kWh/m²/day
Electricity rate
Illinois: 16.5¢/kWh
U.S. avg: 15.98¢/kWh
Modeled payback
Illinois: 14 yr
U.S. avg: 14.2 yr

Source: NREL irradiance and U.S. EIA rates; payback modeled by PlainSolarData. Bars are scaled to the larger of the two values per metric.

Solar's trajectory in Illinois

The market this incentive operates in: total installed solar capacity in Illinois reported to the EIA.

-1000 MW0 MW1.0 GW2.0 GW3.0 GW4.0 GW 200920112013201520172019202120232024 3.0 GW
Illinois now has about 3.0 GW of installed solar, the backdrop programs like this one are built on.

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, installed solar nameplate capacity As of 2024

Illinois's solar incentive stack

How this rebate sits among Illinois's 4 tracked programs, by type

programs

What this shows Among Illinois's 4 tracked incentive types, 1 are rebates like this one -- a direct payment rather than a tax reduction, stacking with the state's other program types.

Source DSIRE incentives registry As of 2024

How this incentive fits Illinois's solar picture

The ComEd Smart Inverter Rebate pays out as a direct rebate rather than a tax credit, one of Illinois's solar incentive programs tracked in DSIRE. Eligibility is scoped to residential customers, with a stated benefit of Up to $300. DSIRE lists no scheduled sunset, though enabling legislation and appropriations can still be revised year to year.

That baseline is slower than most states, which raises the stakes for every incentive on the table. Illinois averages 4.3 kWh/m²/day of usable sunlight and residential rates of 16.5¢/kWh, producing an estimated 7,534 kWh/year and $1,243 of annual utility offset on a typical 6 kW system costing $17,400. That baseline already implies a 14-year simple payback and a 25-year modeled net of roughly $13,675 before this incentive - every dollar this rebate delivers compresses that payback further.

A handful of other levers are worth checking alongside this one. Illinois has 5 solar incentive programs indexed in DSIRE, including adjacent options like IL Solar Property Tax Exemption, IL Net Metering, Illinois Shines (Adjustable Block Program). The state's net-metering policy is classified as full, which governs how excess generation is credited and often decides whether a given program is worth claiming for a specific household.

Your next step

  • See Illinois's full solar profile, score, irradiance, rates, payback, and every program you can claim. Illinois solar data
  • Run the savings calculator with your real bill to see how this incentive changes your own payback. ROI calculator
  • Read how state and federal solar credits work together. Tax-credit guide

Estimates here are modeled from public data and are not financial advice; confirm program terms and your own eligibility before relying on a dollar figure.

Frequently asked questions

What is the ComEd Smart Inverter Rebate?
The ComEd Smart Inverter Rebate is a rebate available to residential solar customers in Illinois. The stated benefit is Up to $300.
How does the ComEd Smart Inverter Rebate work?
ComEd customers receive rebates for upgrading to smart grid-enabled solar inverters.
Who is eligible for the ComEd Smart Inverter Rebate?
The program is available to residential customers in Illinois. Check the official program page for current eligibility requirements and deadlines.
How does this incentive affect solar ROI in Illinois?
Illinois has an estimated 14-year payback for a 6 kW system before incentives, with about $1,243/year in modeled savings. A rebate like this lowers upfront cost or raises annual return, shortening that payback. Run the calculator for a figure based on your own bill.
Are there other solar incentives in Illinois?
Yes - Illinois has 5 solar incentive programs tracked in DSIRE, including IL Solar Property Tax Exemption, IL Net Metering, Illinois Shines (Adjustable Block Program). State programs are designed to stack on top of any available federal solar tax credit rather than replace it.

Incentive data from the DSIRE (Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency); state solar economics from NREL and the U.S. EIA. See our methodology.