Waukegan, IL Solar Panels
Solar Power in Waukegan
If you live in Waukegan and your energy bills keep climbing, you have good reason to look for a change. Illinois electricity prices have increased 22% from 2020 to 2024. The good news? Solar can help Lake County homeowners take back control of their monthly costs.
You’re in good company, too. Illinois ranks 12th in the nation for residential solar, so plenty of neighbors on the ComEd grid have already made the switch. This guide explains what to expect when going solar in Waukegan. To start, explore our overview of home solar panels.
How Much Do Solar Panels Cost in Waukegan, IL?
Curious about solar costs in Waukegan? This calculator uses real installation data from homes across the area, including Gurnee, North Chicago, Beach Park, and Zion. See a personalized estimate based on what your neighbors actually paid—no guesswork, just honest numbers from local projects to help you plan.
System
- No upfront investment
- Palmetto handles all maintenance
- 90% Production Guarantee
- Comprehensive protection program included
Key Takeaways
- Illinois electricity prices rose about 20% from 2021 to 2024, so going solar can help Waukegan homeowners take back control of rising monthly energy costs.
- Illinois offers several money-saving solar incentives, including Solar for All, ComEd smart inverter rebates, net metering, and a 20-year property tax exemption.
- Leasing solar through LightReach means no upfront cost, since Palmetto owns and maintains the system while passing savings to you through lower monthly payments.
Waukegan Electricity Prices
If your Waukegan energy bills keep climbing, you are not imagining it. Electricity prices in Illinois have been rising steadily for years.
In Illinois, the average residential electricity price rose from 13.2 cents per kWh in 2021 to 15.9 cents per kWh in 2024. That is roughly a 20% increase in just three years.
Solar offers Waukegan homeowners a way to reduce reliance on the ComEd grid. By generating your own power, you can offset a portion of these rising utility rates with electricity produced on your own roof.
Over the long term, solar helps make your monthly energy costs more predictable. While grid prices tend to fluctuate, the sunlight that powers your Lake County home stays free and consistent year after year.
Price of Energy: Illinois vs National Average
Waukegan Area Utility Providers
In Waukegan, most homes get their power from ComEd. In 2023, ComEd customers paid about 14.8¢ per kWh, slightly below the Illinois average of 15.70¢ and the national average of 16.0¢.
Why is ComEd a bit lower? Illinois relies heavily on nuclear power, which provides steady, large-scale electricity. This 2023 data reflects rates before recent price shifts, so your current bill may already look different.
Even with rates near the national average, utility prices can change year to year. Solar gives Lake County homeowners a way to produce their own power and add more certainty to monthly energy costs.
Waukegan Utilities Electricity Rates
Illinois Solar Incentives
Waukegan homeowners can tap into several solar incentives in Illinois that help lower the cost of going solar.
Statewide programs like Illinois Solar for All, ComEd’s Smart Inverter rebates, net metering, and a 20-year property tax exemption can reduce your upfront costs and ongoing energy bills across Lake County.
These incentives remain valuable but can be complex to navigate. Leasing through LightReach simplifies things, as Palmetto handles the details and passes savings along via lower monthly payments.
| Incentive | Type | Description | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illinois Solar for All (ILSFA) | Rebate | Illinois Solar for All provides income-eligible households (at or below 80% of area median income) with no-upfront-cost solar installations that guarantee at least 50% savings on the value of energy produced. | Learn More |
| ComEd & Ameren Distributed Generation (DG) Smart Inverter Rebate – Solar | Rebate | ComEd and Ameren Illinois customers receive a $300-per-kW upfront rebate for installing a solar system equipped with a smart inverter. | Learn More |
| ComEd & Ameren Distributed Generation (DG) Smart Inverter Rebate – Battery Storage | Rebate | ComEd and Ameren Illinois customers can receive a $300-per-kWh cash rebate for installing a battery storage system with a smart inverter, with enrollment in a qualifying rate plan required. | |
| Virtual Power Plant (VPP) Program – Battery Storage Rebate | Rebate | Under the CRGA-mandated Virtual Power Plant program launching by June 30, 2026, residential battery storage customers can earn the $300/kWh DG rebate by allowing the utility to dispatch their battery during high-demand events. | Learn More |
| Illinois Net Metering / Smart Solar Billing | Net Metering | Illinois offers net metering for solar customers, with legacy customers (systems installed before January 1, 2025) receiving full retail-rate credits, while new customers receive supply-only credits under the Smart Solar Billing policy. | |
| Illinois Solar Property Tax Exemption | Property Tax Exemption | Illinois law exempts the added home value from a solar installation from property tax assessments for 20 years, protecting homeowners from higher property tax bills after going solar. | Learn More |
Illinois Solar for All (ILSFA) is a state program designed to make solar accessible to low- and moderate-income households. To qualify, your household income must be at or below 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for your county. As a benchmark, a single-person household in Lake County qualifies with income under approximately $65,000. There is no credit check required, and initial income self-attestation is permitted.
Through ILSFA, an Approved Vendor installs a solar system at no upfront cost. Participants typically pay around $25/month for 15 years (approximately $4,500 total), after which the system transfers to them at no additional cost. The program legally guarantees a minimum of 50% savings on the retail value of the solar energy the system produces. Participants can choose to purchase with cash, a loan (with no prepayment penalties and no lien on the home), or through a lease or Power Purchase Agreement (PPA).
Important note for 2026: Single-family residential capacity was reached in 2025, so new applicants will need to join a waitlist for the 2026–27 program year cycle, which opens in June 2026. Visit illinoissfa.com to check eligibility and join the waitlist.
ComEd and Ameren Illinois offer a Distributed Generation (DG) Smart Inverter Rebate of $300 per kilowatt (kW) of solar capacity installed. For a typical 8.5 kW residential system, this translates to $2,550 back in your pocket. The rebate is paid as cash within approximately 60 days after your system receives Permission to Operate (PTO) from the utility.
To be eligible, your solar system must include a qualifying “smart” inverter. This rebate is available exclusively to customers of ComEd (northern Illinois, including Waukegan) and Ameren Illinois (central and southern Illinois) — customers of most municipal utilities or electric cooperatives do not qualify. You do not need to enroll in a special rate plan to receive the solar-only portion of this rebate.
Contact ComEd at (800) 334-7661 or visit comed.com, or contact Ameren Illinois at (800) 755-5000 or visit ameren.com/illinois to apply and confirm current program availability.
In addition to the solar rebate, ComEd and Ameren Illinois offer a $300-per-kWh rebate for battery storage systems installed with a smart inverter. For a typical Tesla Powerwall 3 (13.5 kWh), this rebate can be worth approximately $4,000. The cash rebate is paid within approximately 60 days after your system receives Permission to Operate.
To qualify for the battery storage rebate, you must enroll in a specific utility rate plan: ComEd customers must select the Basic Electric Service Hourly (BESH) real-time pricing plan, while Ameren Illinois customers must enroll in the Peak Time Rewards demand response program. These rate plans are designed to align your battery usage with grid needs during peak demand periods.
This rebate is available only to ComEd and Ameren Illinois customers — not to customers of most municipal utilities or cooperatives. Contact ComEd at (800) 334-7661 or visit comed.com, or contact Ameren Illinois at (800) 755-5000 or visit ameren.com/illinois for application details and to confirm current program status.
The Virtual Power Plant (VPP) program is a new battery storage incentive created by the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA), signed into law on January 8, 2026. Utilities are required to launch the short-term VPP program no later than June 30, 2026. Residential customers who enroll their battery storage system in the VPP can receive the same $300/kWh distributed storage rebate as the standard DG program — without needing to enroll in the BESH or Peak Time Rewards rate plans.
In a VPP, the utility can briefly direct your battery to discharge electricity to the grid during high-demand periods, helping stabilize grid reliability. In exchange, you receive the upfront rebate and potentially ongoing compensation for your participation in dispatch events. This makes battery storage financially attractive for homeowners who may not otherwise qualify for or want to enroll in the standard DG rebate’s required rate plans.
A longer-term VPP program is also authorized to launch by December 31, 2028, which will expand eligibility to additional devices including smart thermostats and EV batteries. For more information, visit the Illinois Power Agency at ipa.illinois.gov or contact your utility.
Illinois law requires ComEd and Ameren Illinois to offer net metering for residential solar systems up to 25 kW. If your solar system was interconnected and operational before January 1, 2025, you are grandfathered into full retail-rate net metering for the lifetime of your system — meaning excess electricity you send to the grid is credited at the full retail rate (roughly 12–15¢/kWh).
For new solar installations interconnected on or after January 1, 2025, Illinois has transitioned to a policy called Smart Solar Billing. Under this model, credits for excess generation apply only to the supply portion of your electricity bill — not delivery charges or fixed fees. This results in a lower effective credit rate of approximately 6–8¢ per kWh depending on your utility, which is roughly half the value of legacy net metering. This makes it especially important to size your system carefully to maximize self-consumption.
Unused credits can roll over month-to-month. For full details on your specific utility’s net metering or Smart Solar Billing policy, visit comed.com or ameren.com/illinois.
Under Illinois law (35 ILCS 200/10-10), the added value that a solar energy system contributes to your home is excluded from your property tax assessment for 20 years. Solar panels typically increase a home’s market value by $15,000–$25,000, but without this exemption, that increase could add $250–$750 or more to your annual property tax bill. The exemption ensures you capture the full financial benefit of your solar investment without a tax penalty.
The exemption applies statewide to qualifying residential solar installations, including homes in Waukegan. To claim it, you must file Form PTAX-330 (Solar Energy System Assessment Freeze) with your local county assessor after your system is installed. The exemption is not automatic — you must apply to receive it.
For more information on the exemption and to download Form PTAX-330, contact your county assessor’s office or visit the Illinois Department of Revenue at tax.illinois.gov.
Ready to start saving with solar?
Speak with a Palmetto solar expert to find out exactly how much you can save with Illinois incentives.
Get a Free QuoteWaukegan Solar Irradiance
Solar panel production varies throughout the year based on daylight hours, weather patterns, and sun intensity. Understanding how seasons affect your solar system helps set realistic expectations for your investment.
Waukegan sits along Lake Michigan, where lake-effect clouds and snowy winters can affect solar output. But with long summer days and cool temperatures boosting panel efficiency, solar works well here year-round.
Solar Production in Waukegan by Month
What Can Your Solar System Power?
Summer Production (July)
In July, your 10 kW system could power:
- 3.6 average homes (15 kWh/day per home)
- or Run central AC for 18 hours AND power all other appliances
- or Fully charge 5.4 Tesla Model 3 electric vehicles
Winter Production (December)
In December, your 10 kW system could power:
- 2 average homes (15 kWh/day per home)
- or Keep your home heating system running for 15 hours
- or Fully charge 3 Tesla Model 3 electric vehicles
Annual Production
Over a year, your 10 kW system could:
- Offset 10 tons of carbon dioxide emissions
- or Equal the environmental benefit of planting 175 trees
- or Save approximately $4,234 in electricity costs
Want to know exactly how much solar can power your home?
Get a personalized solar analysis based on your actual home, energy usage, and roof characteristics.
Get My Custom EstimateSolar Panel Systems in Waukegan
We’ve mapped solar installations across the United States, right down to the neighborhood level. Explore this interactive map of Waukegan, IL to see how many of your neighbors have made the switch to solar. Click any hexagon to discover the solar activity happening in your community.
Leasing Solar Panels
Waukegan homes are served by ComEd, and in this territory Palmetto offers a solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) through LightReach. Instead of paying tens of thousands upfront, you agree to buy the power your panels produce at a set price per kilowatt-hour—so you only pay for the clean energy you actually use.
A PPA differs slightly from a lease. With a lease, you pay a fixed monthly amount, while a PPA charges a set rate per kWh. Since panels produce more in summer, PPA bills rise then and dip in winter, but yearly savings are typically comparable.
Unlike paying cash, a LightReach PPA means no large investment and no maintenance worries—Palmetto owns, monitors, and maintains the system for you.
Go solar without the investment
With LightReach, there are no investment costs to recoup, loan payments to manage, or maintenance needs to take on. As soon as your panels are active, your solar savings are too!
Explore LightReach LeasingFrequently Asked Questions
Yes. Waukegan is served by ComEd, which offers net metering for home solar systems. If your system was connected before January 1, 2025, you’re grandfathered into full retail-rate credits for the life of your system.
Systems connected on or after January 1, 2025 fall under Illinois’ Smart Solar Billing policy. Excess energy is credited at the supply rate only—roughly 6–8¢ per kWh—which makes properly sizing your system important for maximizing savings.
Yes. In Waukegan, solar panels can increase your home’s value when you own the system, either through cash or a loan. A Zillow study found that homes with solar panels sell for approximately 4.1% more than comparable homes without them.
This benefit applies to purchased systems, not leased or PPA systems. With a leased system, resale works differently, since the buyer typically assumes the existing lease agreement rather than gaining added home value.
In Waukegan, the most affordable way to go solar is with a LightReach lease. You can start for as little as $79 a month with no upfront cost, and Palmetto owns and maintains the system for you.
You can also buy a system with cash, which averages around $28,000 for a typical home. Note that the federal 30% tax credit is no longer available for residential cash purchases after the 2025 federal law change. See the calculator above for pricing based on your home size.
Leasing solar through Palmetto’s LightReach program means one simple monthly payment covers everything: the panels, installation, monitoring, maintenance, and a 90% Production Guarantee. There’s no upfront cost, and your payment is typically less than your current ComEd bill, so many Waukegan homeowners save from day one.
For a typical 9.84 kW system in Waukegan, the estimated payment is about $79/month. Because Palmetto owns the system, it claims the commercial tax credit and passes those savings to you through lower payments.
Waukegan homeowners can access several Illinois solar incentives. These include Illinois Solar for All for income-eligible households, the ComEd Smart Inverter Rebate ($300 per kW for solar and $300 per kWh for batteries), net metering/Smart Solar Billing, and a 20-year property tax exemption on added home value.
The federal 30% tax credit is no longer available for cash purchases after the 2025 federal law change. However, a LightReach lease still benefits, since Palmetto claims the commercial ITC and passes those savings through.
For many Waukegan homeowners, solar can make financial sense—especially as Illinois electricity prices have climbed roughly 20% in recent years. Producing your own power helps offset ComEd rates and adds more certainty to your monthly energy costs.
With a LightReach lease, there’s no upfront investment. Since your monthly lease payment is typically less than your current electric bill, you can start saving from day one—and Palmetto owns and maintains the system for you.
In Waukegan, a typical 10 kW home solar system produces roughly 13,400 kWh per year, based on NREL PVWatts data. Smaller systems generate less, with a 5 kW system producing about 6,700 kWh and a 7 kW system near 9,400 kWh annually.
Output shifts with the seasons. Longer summer days along Lake Michigan boost production, while shorter, cloudier winter days reduce it. Your actual results depend on roof angle, shading, and local weather.