What Is Illinois Solar for All? Program Guide & Eligibility

Going solar can cut electricity costs, but the price of installing panels puts conventional rooftop solar out of reach for many households. Illinois Solar for All (ILSFA) is designed to change that.

The state program helps income-eligible Illinois residents access solar energy with little or no upfront expense and built-in savings requirements. Homeowners may qualify for solar panels installed directly on their property, while renters and households without a suitable roof can potentially save through community solar.

For Illinois residents who have searched for “free solar panels in Illinois” or “low-income solar in Illinois”, ILSFA is one of the most important programs to understand. Just keep in mind that “free” does not always mean there will never be any costs. Depending on the offer, ongoing payments may apply, but ILSFA limits those costs so participants receive meaningful financial benefits.

What Is the Illinois Solar for All (ILSFA) Program?

Illinois Solar for All is a state solar incentive program administered by the Illinois Power Agency (IPA). It was created under the Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA) and expanded by the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) in 2021.

ILSFA’s goal is simple: make the financial benefits of solar available to people and communities that might otherwise be priced out of the market. The program serves income-eligible households as well as qualifying non-profit organizations and public facilities that serve income-eligible or environmental justice communities.

Instead of simply offering a rebate and leaving consumers to negotiate with solar companies on their own, ILSFA includes several built-in protections. Participating solar companies must be vetted as Approved Vendors, and participants receive a standardized Disclosure Form that spells out costs, estimated savings, warranties, and other important contract terms before signing. Residential rooftop contracts also include a 14-day cancellation period, while community solar subscribers have an initial three-day cancellation period and can later cancel with 30 days’ notice.

That combination of financial incentives and consumer protections distinguishes ILSFA from many conventional solar offers.

How Much Can You Save with ILSFA?

The biggest benefit of Illinois Solar for All is that savings are built into the program’s rules.

Understanding the 50% savings rule

ILSFA does not guarantee that your total electricity bill will be cut in half. Instead, the program requires income-eligible participants to retain significant value from the solar energy they receive.

For community solar, participant costs cannot exceed 50% of the value of the solar bill credits. In other words, if your subscription generates $100 worth of qualifying bill credits, your community solar payment generally cannot exceed $50, leaving at least $50 in savings. Similar savings requirements apply when a rooftop solar contract includes ongoing payments.

Your actual dollar savings depend on electricity usage, solar production, utility rates, contract terms, and the type of ILSFA project.

For some perspective, the independent evaluation of the 2024-2025 program year estimated average bill savings of about $128 per month for energized Residential Solar (Small) projects and about $41 per month for Community Solar participants. Those are averages, not promises of what an individual household will save.

How solar credits lower your electric bill

With rooftop solar, electricity generated by your panels reduces how much power your home needs from the grid. When eligible excess production is exported, net-metering credits can further reduce qualifying charges on your electric bill.

Illinois changed its net-metering structure for new systems interconnected beginning January 1, 2025. New systems generally receive credits for supply and transmission value rather than the broader set of delivery charges, taxes, and fees that older systems may have received.

With community solar, electricity is produced at an off-site solar farm. Your share of that production generates bill credits that are applied to your utility account. You then pay the community solar provider according to your subscription agreement, at a rate structured to leave you with savings.
You can learn more about how these programs work in our guides to community solar and community solar in Illinois.

Illinois Solar for All Income Eligibility & Qualification

For most residential participants, ILSFA income eligibility depends on three factors: where you live, how many people are in your household, and your household’s gross income.

Households generally qualify when income does not exceed 80% of Area Median Income (AMI). Because AMI varies by county and household size, there isn’t one statewide dollar limit. ILSFA updates its income thresholds annually; the program published new thresholds for the 2026-2027 program year in June 2026.

The easiest first step is to use ILSFA’s official income-eligibility lookup tool.

You may already have an easier way to verify your income

Participation in certain income-based programs can streamline verification. Current qualifying programs include:

• Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
• Medicaid
• Certain HUD project-based rental assistance or voucher programs
• Illinois Housing Weatherization Assistance Program
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
• Aid to the Aged, Blind, and Disabled (AABD)

Households can also verify eligibility through tax documents, recent pay stubs, or qualifying benefit letters.

Does your home qualify for rooftop solar?

Income eligibility is only one part of a rooftop solar project. Your property must also be suitable for an installation.

An Approved Vendor will look at factors such as the roof’s condition and structural integrity, roof orientation, shading, and the condition of the electrical system. A roof that requires major repairs or an electrical panel that cannot safely support the system may need work before solar can be installed. There is no universal ILSFA rule saying a roof must be less than a specific number of years old; what matters is whether the property passes the program’s site-suitability review.

If rooftop solar won’t work for your property, that doesn’t necessarily rule out ILSFA. Community solar requires no rooftop at all.

Do you have to be a ComEd or Ameren customer?

ComEd and Ameren Illinois serve the largest share of Illinois customers and offer many of the state’s community solar opportunities.

However, ILSFA is not technically limited to those two utilities. Program rules allow qualifying solar projects connected to Illinois investor-owned utilities, electric cooperatives, and municipal electric systems. Actual rooftop or community solar availability can still depend on local interconnection rules, net-metering arrangements, and whether an eligible project is available in your utility territory.

Which ILSFA Option Is Right for You?

Illinois Solar for All provides three main ways to participate.

1. ILSFA Residential Solar

Best for: Homeowners and owners of residential properties who want on-site solar panels.

For single-family homes and one- to four-unit residential buildings, qualifying projects have no upfront solar installation costs. The program also has a Residential Solar (Large) category for buildings with five or more units, where low- or no-upfront-cost offers may be available.

The panels generate electricity on-site, reducing the amount of grid electricity the building needs.

2. ILSFA Community Solar

Best for: Renters, condo residents, and homeowners with shaded, older, or otherwise unsuitable roofs.

Illinois Solar for All community solar lets you subscribe to a share of a solar project elsewhere in your utility territory. You do not buy panels or install anything at home. The solar farm feeds electricity into the grid, and your subscription generates credits that lower your electric bill.

Community solar can be one of the easiest ways to take advantage of low-income solar in Illinois because it removes the biggest physical barrier to solar participation: needing to own a solar-ready property.

3. Non-Profit and Public Facilities

ILSFA also supports on-site solar for eligible non-profit organizations and public facilities serving income-eligible or environmental justice communities.

Examples may include libraries, houses of worship, senior centers, food pantries, and other organizations providing critical community services. These projects receive no- or low-upfront-cost options and must provide ongoing financial benefits from the solar electricity generated.

How to Apply for Illinois Solar for All

1. Step 1: Check your income eligibility. Use the ILSFA eligibility tool to compare your household income with the current 80% AMI threshold for your county and household size. You can also determine whether participation in a qualifying assistance program can be used to verify your eligibility.
2. Step 2: Decide between rooftop and community solar.If you own a suitable home and want panels, Residential Solar may provide the greatest potential savings. If you rent or don’t have an appropriate roof, Community Solar may be the better fit.
3. Step 3: Work with an Approved Vendor. Do not assume that any solar installer advertising “free solar panels Illinois” participates in ILSFA. Use the program’s official Approved Vendor directory to find companies vetted to offer ILSFA projects.
4. Step 4: Review the Disclosure Form and contract. Read the required Disclosure Form carefully before signing. Pay particular attention to upfront costs, monthly payments, estimated solar production, projected savings, contract length, warranties, and cancellation terms.
5. Step 5: Start receiving solar savings. For rooftop solar, savings begin after your system is installed, interconnected, and producing electricity. Community solar subscribers begin receiving credits after their subscription is connected to an operating project and utility billing is activated.

For additional information about electricity service, utilities, and energy choice in the state, visit our complete Illinois electricity guide.