Update: Funding for the Illinois SREC program has run out, no more SREC credits are available as of 28 December 2020. This blog will be updated as new funding becomes available.
No, solar panels aren’t free in Illinois. But thanks to Illinois Solar Renewable Energy Credits, (SRECs) solar panels are a great way to save on electricity in Illinois. SRECs are credits that you receive for electricity that your solar system supplies to the grid. You then sell those credits to your utility company or other entity. To be eligible for SRECs in Illinois, you must have your system installed by an approved vendor of the Illinois Shines program
What is the Illinois Shines program?
Illinois Shines is the brand name for the Illinois Adjustable Block Program. The program is a state-administered program that provides payments in exchange for SRECs that your solar system earns by supplying electricity to the grid.
SRECs represent the environmental value of electricity generated by solar panels, not the value of the electricity that is generated. When you have your system installed by an approved vendor you are eligible for participation in the Illinois Shines Adjustable Block Program.
Recommended: Download the Illinois Shines program brochure for more information.
How do I find an Illinois Shines approved vendor?
The Illinois shines website provides a list of approved vendors for the Illinois Shines program. Freedom Forever is an approved vendor in the program. Going with an approved vendor is a smart idea. The program has rigid requirements for honesty and integrity in marketing and advertising that protect you, the solar consumer.
For your solar system to participate in the Illinois Shines program, your approved vendor will submit an application to the program. You will receive a standard disclosure form that will identify the approved vendor which is participating in the Illinois Shines program.
Why go solar in Illinois with Freedom Forever
In addition to being an approved vendor in the Illinois Shines program, Freedom Forever guarantees the power production of your solar system for 25 years. Our guarantee is more than just a product warranty. We guarantee that your solar power system will meet its promised production amount for 25 years. Freedom Forever guarantees that the solar system will produce the electricity promised with our 25-Year Production Guarantee. We will even pay you for any shortfall from our fault.
What we do if there is a problem. We monitor your system for 25 years. If we detect that its performance is falling short, we’ll contact you and send someone out to fix it. If the shortfall is caused by something that is our fault, we will compensate you for the shortfall. The amount of compensation you receive will be listed in your contract with us. Keep in mind, not all solar companies promise to compensate you for lost power production from your system. Going solar with Freedom means that you get peace-of-mind for a full 25 years. So while solar panels aren’t free, they are a great investment.