Illinois Community Solar lets Chicago residents subscribe to off-site solar projects and receive bill credits on ComEd statements. The program is administered by the Illinois Power Agency under the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act with low-income carve-outs.
20 ILCS 3855/1-56 the Renewable Portfolio Standard and CEJA established Illinois Shines, the state's community solar program. The Illinois Power Agency selects projects which then sell subscription shares to ComEd ratepayers including renters and condo owners. Subscribers receive monthly bill credits on their ComEd statements proportional to their share of project output. CEJA reserves at least 25 percent of capacity for low-income and environmental-justice subscribers through the Illinois Solar for All program. Chicago does not separately license community solar but supports outreach. Cancellation rules under IPA Approved Vendor contracts limit termination fees and require seven-day right-to-cancel disclosures. Projects can be in or outside Chicago.
Vendors who misrepresent savings or fail to honor seven-day cancellation can face Illinois Power Agency complaints, IPA Approved Vendor decertification, and Illinois Attorney General Consumer Fraud Act enforcement plus restitution.
Chicago, IL
Chicago Solar Express provides same-day or one-business-day permits for standard residential rooftop solar systems up to 25 kilowatts. The state Solar Permit...
Chicago, IL
Illinois law (765 ILCS 165, the Solar Rights Act) protects homeowners' right to install solar energy systems. HOAs and condo associations cannot unreasonably...
Chicago, IL
Chicago requires permits for solar photovoltaic installations under the Chicago Construction Codes (14A-12-1204.2, 14B-15-1510.7) but offers an Easy Permit P...
See how Chicago's community solar rules stack up against other locations.
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