Ensuring the Credibility of Solar Companies
Solar companies that want to participate in the ILSFA program must apply and be accepted into the program. Some Approved Vendors may also use partners called Designees or subcontractors to help perform their work. These Designees and subcontractors must also register with the program. A complete list of all companies vetted to participate in the ILSFA program can be found using our Find a Solar Company directory.
Illinois Solar for All publishes the Program Violations Report to share up-to-date information about Approved Vendors who have received formal disciplinary action for confirmed program violations. The report ensures that participants have the information required to make informed decisions.
Savings Participants Can Count On
Residential Solar (On-Site)
Illinois Solar for All requires Approved Vendors to provide solar offers with no upfront costs for income-eligible homeowners interested in installing solar projects. Homeowners may have monthly payments within their contract. Any ongoing payments will be outweighed by the value generated by the solar panels, after accounting for the application of low-income discounts. Similar requirements apply (with a few limited exceptions) to solar projects for multi-family housing.
Community Solar
Most residents participating in Community Solar will also have no upfront costs. With all residents, subscription fees can’t be more than 50% of the value of your solar credits.
Non-Profit and Public Facilities
ILSFA helps organizations save money by providing on-site solar installations that reduce electricity bills. If an organization’s contract includes monthly payments, those costs cannot exceed 50% of the value of the energy the solar panels produce.
Financing Requirements
Loans cannot be secured by the participant’s home or home equity to help avoid the risk of liens or foreclosures. Contracts must include a forbearance option and cannot include penalties for pre-payment. Contracts must allow a grace period of at least seven calendar days after the participant’s payment due date before any late fees are charged.
Here are the most common financing options for on-site solar:
Lease
You lease the solar project, and you use the energy it produces, with excess electricity credited on your electricity bill.
Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)
You purchase the electricity from the project owner. The project is on your property, but is owned by someone else.
Purchase
You purchase the solar project and use the energy produced by the solar project, with excess electricity credited on your electricity bill.
Learning How to Make Informed Decisions
The Illinois Solar for All program is designed to help participants make informed decisions about going solar. Approved Vendors must ensure that a participant receives a completed standard Disclosure Form that provides key information about their solar offer, including all costs and fees, system design details, warranties and guarantees. Participants must have an opportunity to review the Disclosure Form before signing a contract. Doing so prioritizes transparency and ensures that every participant understands the material provided.
Approved Vendors must also ensure that each customer receives an informational brochure that provides important information about ILSFA and the decision to go solar. Consumer education materials are available on the Consumer Education and Resources page.
Ensuring Quality Matters
To ensure participants receive quality solar installations, Approved Vendors must meet technical system requirements to ensure efficient system performance and meet all local ordinances governing building codes, permitting, and zoning. In addition, Approved Vendors and Designees are required to meet minimum site suitability guidelines and must allow all installations to undergo photo and on-site inspections by ILSFA’s Program Team. Approved Vendors are required to assess the proposed site for the solar project, including:
- Roofing and structural: Examining the building’s structural integrity and roof condition
- Electrical: Determining whether a home’s electrical panel and wiring will support solar
- Space and Accessibility: Discerning whether there is enough space for the solar project to be installed
- Health and Safety: Ensuring the solar project will be safely installed
Marketing Requirements and Other Program Protections
Approved Vendors and Designees in the Illinois Solar for All program market directly to participants. This means that our Approved Vendors and Designees must follow requirements from the program’s Approved Vendor Manual and Consumer Protection Handbook. Consumer protection requirements include ensuring that the information shared with customers is clear and accurate to provide a transparent and positive experience for all who participate in ILSFA. Approved Vendor and Designee outreach can include:
- Event flyers or factsheets
- Presentations/slide decks
- Direct mailers or brochures
Illinois Solar for All provides guidelines to support Approved Vendors and Designees as they market the program, oversee marketing materials distributed to participants, and are a source for marketing-related questions.
Additionally, Approved Vendors and their agents (including marketers and installers) must meet a specified set of contract requirements in their residential, non-profit, and public facility installation contracts or community solar subscription contracts. While these documents are primarily used by Approved Vendors and Designees, interested participants may also review the contract requirements.
The Illinois Solar for All program monitors compliance with consumer protection requirements throughout the solar project approval process.
