Solar Panels Cost $5.1k-$15k in Will County, IL | November, 2024
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How much do solar panels cost in Will County, IL in 2024?
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You'll pay $3.7 per watt in Will County, IL in November, 2024 to go solar.
For every 1000 watts (1 kW) your solar system can produce, you will have to invest, on average, $3,700 for installation. You are able to come to this conclusion by utilizing this rate price cost per watt above. Subtracting the 30% federal tax credit, a 5 kW solar panel install in Will County typically costs $12,950. It's worth noting that a bigger system may be needed to fulfill your energy demands.
By selecting your county on the left, you can find out the average roof size and the maximum capacity for solar panels on homes in your area. The following outline, below, highlights the costs, payback period, and 20-year average savings for a 5 kW system installed in your county.
Average out-of-pocket cost for a 5 kW system The upfront amount spent to buy and install solar.
Will County: $12,950US Average: $12,523
Average Payback Period The number of years until you break even on the solar investment.
Will County: 8 yearsUS Average: 7 years
Average Net 20-year savings The total amount of money saved over 20 years minus the out-of-pocket cost.
Will County: $13,842US Average: $16,169
Solar Potential in Will County
Estimated system size and solar electricity production per median viable roof in Will County.
Roof size 715sq. ft.
Capacity 10kW DC
Electricity 11.5kkWh AC per yr.
Electricity Costs in Will County, IL & What that Means for Your Solar Panel Pricing
In Will County, energy consumers generally see an average electric bill of 134.76 each month, with an average consumption of 641 kWh. Small houses, including studio apartments or condos, are also included in the numbers cited in the prior sentence.
In November 2024, the average electricity rate in Will County, IL is 21.03¢ per kWh.
Right now, a 6 kW solar installation will have an initial cost of about $22,200 initially, but the federal tax credit will give you back 30%, bringing the total down to $15,540.
Go Solar for less than your cell phone bill.
Average solar panel costs by system size in Will County
On your left, we have provided a full pricing details for the different solar panel system sizes set up in Will County. The larger the solar array, the larger the initial expense, but also the more considerable electricity savings and income tax credits you'll get.
In the solar panel cost calculator found down and to the right, you can examine a cost and benefit breakdown to match an average $134.76 electric bill in Will County. For custom results, change the $134.76 to whichever your usual electricity bill is.
System Size
Roof Size Min. space required
Electricity Value Annual Production
Est. Price
System Size 2kW
Roof Size Min. space required
143 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $586 a year
Est. Price
$5,180
Savings from a 2kWthis system
Est. yearly production 2,790 kWh
Est. monthly savings $49
Full payback in 3 years
Environmental Impacts
Reduces CO2 emissions by 0.42 tons a year
Equivalent to planting 19 trees a year
Equivalent to driving 1,031 mi less a year
System Size 3kW
Roof Size Min. space required
215 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $879 a year
Est. Price
$7,770
Savings from a 3kWthis system
Est. yearly production 4,185 kWh
Est. monthly savings $73
Full payback in 5 years
Environmental Impacts
Reduces CO2 emissions by 0.62 tons a year
Equivalent to planting 29 trees a year
Equivalent to driving 1,546 mi less a year
System Size 4kW
Roof Size Min. space required
286 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $1,172 a year
Est. Price
$10,360
Savings from a 4kWthis system
Est. yearly production 5,579 kWh
Est. monthly savings $98
Full payback in 6 years
Environmental Impacts
Reduces CO2 emissions by 0.83 tons a year
Equivalent to planting 38 trees a year
Equivalent to driving 2,061 mi less a year
System Size 5kW
Roof Size Min. space required
358 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $1,465 a year
Est. Price
$12,950
Savings from a 5kWthis system
Est. yearly production 6,974 kWh
Est. monthly savings $122
Full payback in 8 years
Environmental Impacts
Reduces CO2 emissions by 1.04 tons a year
Equivalent to planting 48 trees a year
Equivalent to driving 2,576 mi less a year
System Size 6kW
Roof Size Min. space required
429 ft²
Electricity Value Annual Production $1,758 a year
Est. Price
$15,540
Savings from a 6kWthis system
Est. yearly production 8,369 kWh
Est. monthly savings $135
Full payback in 10 years
Environmental Impacts
Reduces CO2 emissions by 1.15 tons a year
Equivalent to planting 53 trees a year
Equivalent to driving 2,850 mi less a year
Will County Solar Panel Installation Incentives & Rebates | 2024
If you own a farm or small business in a rural area, the REAP Grant might cover between 80% and 100% of your solar energy or wind turbine installation costs. To see if you qualify, use our REAP Grant eligibility tool.
With the accessibility of a 30% federal income tax credit, solar energy becomes a feasible solution for most homeowners, especially in various parts of the country. Alongside federal incentives, there are many state and local initiatives to encourage solar energy adoption.
Illinois residents have access to 10 solar rebate and incentive initiatives from different utilities and governmental agencies.
Solar incentives in ILIncentive Description Value
City of Chicago - Small Business Improvement Fund
Value:Up to $150,000
The Chicago government has established a Small Business Improvement Fund to support businesses making energy efficiency upgrades through grants. A private organization, SomerCor 504, handles the practical business of the fund. Projects eligible for grants include energy-efficient HVAC, roofing, windows, and insulation. Funding can cover three quarters of project costs. Applicants are subject to caps on net worth and number of employees. Businesses that rent their property may be subject to additional conditions. Additional information is available from the SomerCor website.
City of Chicago - Green Building Permit Programs
Value:Up to $25,000
Chicago offers specialized permitting processes for various environmentally-friendly projects or energy efficiency upgrades. Any home, business, or industrial facility may qualify to have their review period expedited and fees waived. Eligible installations and upgrades include solar PV/thermal systems, wind turbines, efficient roofing, rain reclamation, and geothermal systems; all must be LEED or Green Globes certified to qualify. Once a project is approved, the maximum turnaround time shortens to 30 days. Further, any fees up to $25,000 become waived. Additional information and early application forms are available from the Chicago website.
City of Chicago - Solar Express Permit Program
Value:Varies
Through a 2013 ordinance, Chicago homes and businesses may be eligible for a streamlined permitting process for rooftop solar PV installations. Depending on the system's size, applicants may receive a $100 discount on permit fees and a same-day approval with waived zoning evaluation. Interested property owners must hire a solar contractor certified by both ComEd and the City of Chicago. Participating contractors will follow new guidelines established by the ordinance when applying for the expedited process. Additional information is available through the Chicago municipal website.
Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation Grants
Value:Varies
Commonwealth Edison funds the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation (ICECF). The foundation supports private investment in renewable energy for Illinois through a variety of grant initiatives targeted at communities and schools. Eligible projects for a grant include solar, wind, and biomass installations interconnected to the grid. One initiative funding wind power for schools also supports related educational programs. Additional information is available through the ICECF website.
Net Metering
Value:Varies
Renewable energy and distributed generation customers in Illinois may enter net metering or "dual metering" arrangements with their utility. By using their generation system, customers generate renewable energy credits. By law, they hold ownership of the RECs they generate, but they may choose to sell them to the utility upon signing a net metering contract. Dual metering is for property types in a "competitive class". Utilities should install a dual-channel meter to measure net excess generation (NEG) sent back to the grid. The customer will receive a bill credit for monthly NEG at a variable rate. Net metering operates in a similar fashion, but uses a single bidirectional meter and is designed for residential and certain commercial properties (these are "non-competitive classes".) Additional information is available from the Illinois Department of Energy.
Interconnection Standards
Value:Varies
Illinois has adopted various state standards for distributed generation and interconnection using systems rated for less than 10 MW. Regulations are amended and enforced by the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC). Each connected generation system is sorted into one of four tiers based on capacity. Which tier a system falls into determines engineering standards, permit processes, and the minimum liability insurance coverage that the system's owner must carry. Distributed generation for systems over 10 MW is also standardized under a different set of rules. Additional information is available from the ICC website.
Renewable Portfolio Standard
Value:Varies
The Illinois legislature enacted the state's first renewable portfolio standard in 2007 and established the Illinois Power Agency for its enforcement. The current standard requires 25% of the state's renewable energy to come from renewable sources by 2026, with 6% coming from solar installations, 75% from wind turbines, and 1% from distributed generation systems. Compliance is measured using a renewable energy credit (REC) system pegging electric capacity to an adjusted dollar value. Utilities in the state must obtain these credits through their own generation activities or by purchasing them from distributed generation customers.
Energy Efficiency in State Government
Value:Varies
New government buildings or renovation projects in Illinois should comply with certain green building standards. Any new occupied state building or renovation affecting a maximum of 10,000 square feet should meet the highest feasible LEED standard, though the state does not need to apply for formal LEED certification. New buildings or renovation projects over 10,000 square feet must meet LEED Silver standards and apply for formal certification. A project may be exempt if costs toward meeting green building standards exceed benefits. Historic buildings may carry an exemption by default if improvements would negatively affect their aesthetics or status. Additional information is available from the Illinois Department of Commerce website.
Illinois Municipal Electric Agency - Electric Efficiency Program
Value:Varies
Residential, commercial, and wholesale customers of the Illinois Municipal Electric Agency may be eligible for a variety of financial incentives on energy efficiency equipment and projects. Eligible items and services will change from time to time. Current programs include rebate offers on HVAC, lighting, motors, and generation equipment. For each of these projects, the rebate amount averages at 7 cents per saved kilowatt hour for the first year of the improvements' deployment. The application process involves project reviews. Customers should submit copies of the city permits they have obtained for their proposed projects. To ensure accountability, IMEA requires the submission of receipts and a final inspection upon completion of the project. Additional information is available from the IMEA website.
Solar Renewable Energy Credits
Value:Varies
The Illinois Power Agency is a legislative organization that aids several private electrical utilities (Commonwealth Edison and Ameren, specifically) in purchasing renewable energy credits, including credits designated exclusively for solar energy. To meet renewable portfolio standards, the IPA acts as a diplomatic middleman to create purchasing agreements between utilities. As IPA both designs and operates procurement programs using a variety of tracking systems, customers participating in arrangements such as net metering may interface directly with the IPA. Additional information is available from the agency website.
Are solar panels worth it in Will County, IL?
Homeowners in Will County who plan to live in their residence beyond the payback period of their solar system will find solar panels an clear choice. A 5 kW solar system in Will County, IL could potentially save you $19,392.4 over the course of 20 years, with the break even point usually at 8 years.
The cost of not having solar panels in Will County, IL
Without solar panels or another backup power source, you miss out on the earlier mentioned savings and are entirely dependent on your electric utility for electricity. Recent news has proven that full reliance on your utility company isn't always ideal.
Over the last several years, utilities in Will County have had an average of 0.54 outages per customer annually. The average length of an outage is 44.56 minutes. In events like lightning strikes, planned maintenance, or grid management errors, this duration can extend significantly.
See the graphic below to see the number of current electricity customers without power in Will County.
Even without a backup battery, a solar panel system could ease the strain of possible future power disruptions you may face.
Power Outages
Currently, 0 customers are being tracked in Will County.
What impacts the cost of solar panels in Will County, IL?
Your Energy Needs - Though the initial cost of larger solar panel systems is greater, the price per watt reduces as the system gets larger. For most homeowners, setting up a system that can generate enough power to eliminate their entire electric bill is advantageous, providing significant savings.
Make & Model - Like many other products, there are different makes and models of solar panels on the market. Your installer’s system preferences might necessitate choosing a recommended contractor. The selection of high-quality makes and models can substantially improve the long-term experience for buyers.
Solar Panel Type - Monocrystalline panels have emerged as the standard in the industry, and deservedly so. Despite the higher price tag, these panels provide greater energy output. Most installation experts use panels made from this material.
Your Property - Each property and residence is unique. Issues such as trees, uneven landscapes, or other impediments may add to the complexity of the installation. Most solar installers now are able to utilize satellite imagery to assess your home and incorporate these factors in the initial cost estimate.
Labor Rates - Employees receive varying wages from different companies, and these costs are passed on to the consumers. Higher wages typically lead to companies getting better reviews for their work and customer service.
Permitting & Interconnection - Local permitting and utility level interconnection fees vary by area and will affect your final install price. Quality local installers will build these figures into your initial estimates to prevent any surprises.
See what solar panels cost in other Will County cities
During November, 2024, the average price for solar panel installations in Will County, IL is $3.7/W. Installing a 5 kW solar panel system in Will County, IL will cost approximately $12,950 after applying the federal tax credit.
Residents of Illinois can currently take advantage of 10 rebates and incentives offered by various utilities and government bodies. Furthermore, the majority of people qualify for the 30% federal tax credit.
Even though paying cash yields the best savings, there are now multiple financing options for solar panels that are also financially beneficial. Installers typically partner with financing companies and will include this information into your initial quotes.
Yes, homeowners in Will County, IL generally see a payback time of 8 years for 5 kW solar panel systems, with electricity savings averaging $19,392.4 over a 20-year period.
Savings from 
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