A Roofless Solar Program for Illinois with Guaranteed Savings
Guaranteed savings on power when you join your local Illinois solar farm.* No green energy premiums, no retail energy gimmicks – just a new renewable power solution for your home.
The Benefits of Illinois Community Solar
Local renewable energy for Illinois
No roof required, no property installations
$0 down, no upfront costs
Guaranteed Savings with Your Subscription
Go Solar. No Roof Required. Here's How:
In Illinois, you can support renewable solar energy generation without a rooftop solar system. Community Solar projects make it easy. For the solar energy generated, you receive bill credits applied directly to your ComEd or Ameren utility bill. Here’s how the Clearway Community Solar program works for Illinois residents.
Schedule a Phone Consultation and See What You Could Save on your Electric Bill
By clicking the ‘SUBMIT’ button above, you agree to the Privacy Policy and you authorize Clearway Community Solar LLC to contact you for marketing purposes at the telephone, email or mobile number you entered using automated telephone technology including auto-dialers and text messages, even if your telephone or mobile number is currently listed on any state, federal, or corporate “Do Not Call” list, and you are not required to give your consent as a condition of purchase.
Download an Educational Deck
Learn all there is to know about Clearway’s Illinois Community Solar program by downloading this educational deck!
Learn More – Watch a Video
Clearway: An Approved Vendor of Illinois Shines
Clearway Community Solar is an Approved Vendor of the Illinois Shines program. Illinois Shines is a state-administered incentive program to support the development of new solar projects. Community solar developers receive incentive payments through Illinois Shines, which allows them to offer affordable community solar subscriptions to customers. As a solar developer, Clearway’s Community Solar farms produce local solar power, and the Renewable Energy Credits, or “RECs” are sold to the Illinois Shines program to help Illinois reach its renewable energy goals. Learn more about Illinois Shines and it’s incentives by clicking the link below.
Learn More About the Illinois Shines ProgramView the Illinois Shines BrochureEnergy Cost Management
Whether your motivation is to protect the environment or to reduce your Illinois electricity costs, you could do both when you choose Clearway Community Solar. When you join one of our Illinois solar farms, you will support locally-produced renewable energy. Then, you will receive solar bill credits for the solar energy produced by your assigned portion of the Clearway Community Solar farm. These credits are automatically applied to your utility bill for your convenience.
Who is Eligible?
Whether you are in the greater Chicago area, towns such as Lena, IL or beyond, Clearway Community Solar is available for all Illinois residents. If you consume the minimum usage requirements and pass our qualifications, you are eligible to enroll without solar panel installation on your property or upfront costs! The solar subscription process is simple, and our solar specialists will guide you every step of the way.
Retail Energy Providers
Alternative Retail Electric Suppliers may give a low teaser rate, but is it guaranteed to save you money? The Illinois Commerce Commission mandates that Illinois residents have the opportunity to choose their electricity supplier. Clearway Community Solar is a sustainable, local, clean energy alternative that will save you time and money.
Guaranteed Energy Savings
Community Solar farms produce clean, renewable energy that save you money and time. There’s no maintenance hassle or switching plans for a better deal. Take a look at how locally-produced Community Solar farms work and how they can save you money on your energy bills.
Cost of Electricity in Chicago
The cost of electricity throughout the state of Illinois varies depending on where residents receive their electricity, from a utility or ARES. Learn how Community Solar can help Chicago residents save on energy costs today.
History of Deregulation
Can you really save money in a deregulated energy market? Take a look at the history of deregulated energy in Illinois and how it affects commercial and residential customers.
Solar Companies in Illinois
For anyone interested in going solar in Illinois, there’s never been a better time than now, and it’s never been easier to support solar power generation thanks to the variety of choices, including the growth of Community Solar.
Clearway Community Solar & Illinois: Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Community Solar?
A: Community Solar is a new solar energy option for Illinois residents, no roof required. Clearway brings residential subscribers from local communities across the state together to support renewable energy. Rather than placing solar installations on homes, Illinois residents can now enroll in a solar development (sometimes called a solar garden) with their local Clearway Solar Farm and earn bill credits through Clearway’s program.
Q: What Are Solar Bill Credits?
A: Every month, the solar energy generated by the farm is sent directly to the local power grid, and Clearway customers receive solar bill credits for the same solar energy produced. The solar bill credits are applied directly to utility bills, helping reduce the cost of electricity supply.
Q: What Can I Save with Community Solar?
A: Customers are guaranteed to save 20% of the value of the solar bill credits. This means that if a customer receives $100 worth of solar bill credits applied to their ComEd or Ameren bill, that customer will only pay $80 for those credits.
Q: Do I Need to Receive Electricity Service from ComEd or Ameren?
A: No, you do not need to receive electricity supply from ComEd or Ameren utility to join a Clearway Community Solar farm.
Q: How Do I Sign Up for an Illinois Community Solar Farm?
A: Sign up is easy! Simply fill out the form below to receive a call from one of our solar specialists, or schedule a phone consultation at the time best for you by using our handy scheduling tool. Our expert renewable energy team will explain the program and provide a custom quote for your home. A home visit is not required – your enrollment can be completed over the phone. Have your utility bill handy to receive a custom quote.
Q: Who is Clearway?
A: Clearway is a top five renewables company in the United States. Our Community Solar program is active in Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and New York. Clearway builds and operates solar farms, which local residents may subscribe to and join. To learn more about Clearway, visit our About Clearway page.
Q: What is Illinois Shines?
A: Illinois Shines, is a state-administered program for new solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. Clearway is an Approved Vendor of the Illinois Shines program. You can learn more about Illinois Shines by reading this brochure.
Q: What are Renewable Energy Credits?
A: Renewable Energy Credits (REC’s) are attributes generated by Community Solar projects. Clearway sells the RECs generated from our Community Solar farms to the Illinois Shines Program to help the state of Illinois reach required renewable energy targets set by The Illinois Renewable Portfolio Standard.
Ready to Learn More About Community Solar in Illinois? Schedule a Phone Consultation Today.
By clicking the ‘SUBMIT’ button above, you agree to the Privacy Policy and you authorize Clearway Community Solar LLC to contact you for marketing purposes at the telephone, email or mobile number you entered using automated telephone technology including auto-dialers and text messages, even if your telephone or mobile number is currently listed on any state, federal, or corporate “Do Not Call” list, and you are not required to give your consent as a condition of purchase.
FAQs
- Where are the Clearway Community Solar farms located?
Currently, Clearway Community Solar farms are located in Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and New York. Some farms are active, and some are in development. Clearway is continuing to expand our footprint in current markets and exploring new ones.
- How many Community Solar farms does Clearway Community Solar have?
Clearway is the largest Community Solar provider in the United States. Clearway Community Solar’s portfolio includes over 55 active solar farms currently producing solar power, with over 50 solar farms in development across service regions. To date, our active solar farms have produced over 800 million kWh of solar power.*
*Clearway Community Solar farm power generation as of April 2021.
- How much solar energy will be generated by the solar farm and a customer’s allocation?
The solar energy generated by the solar farms vary with the seasons and the degree of sunlight. More solar energy is generated during sunnier times of the year, however, the solar farms will continue to effectively generate renewable power during the winter season. With the potential for less sunlight in winter seasons, there may be lower solar production than other seasons. Clearway’s program is designed for the ebb and flow of solar production, along with fluctuations in a customer’s energy consumption, and the rate and pricing structures featured within the Clearway Customer Agreement factor in these variables to help ensure customer savings benefits.*
*Clearway subscription offers vary between regions and savings benefits may vary.
- Who builds the Community Solar farms?
Clearway Community Solar works with third-party developers and local construction teams and contractors to build the solar farms. An estimated 65-150+ local jobs are created during the construction phase of a Community Solar farm. Our professional, dedicated teams are highly trained, industry experts. We use industrial grade panels that are fully tested prior to installation. Our teams additionally handle all inspections and interconnection to the power grid in collaboration with local utilities.
- Who maintains the Community Solar farms?
Clearway Community Solar is responsible for year-round maintenance of the solar farms.
- Does Clearway charge a maintenance fee?
No, there is no maintenance fee in the Clearway Community Solar Customer Agreement for any region.
- What kind of solar panels are used on Clearway Solar Farms?
Clearway Community Solar uses industrial-grade solar panels that are thoroughly tested for performance and weather endurance. Although there is normal, expected degradation over the years, the panels are engineered to last over 20 years before needing replacement.
- How are the Community Solar farms built?
First, Clearway Community Solar teams carefully select appropriate sites and land to build solar farms, ensuring adequate amounts of sunlight and meeting all permitting requirements and regulations. Next, the construction phase begins, which can take up to six months. Once construction is complete, Clearway Community Solar works with the utility to connect the farm to the power grid — this phase is called interconnection. Finally, the farm is inspected by the utility and, once deemed operational, it is activated and begins generating power. The solar farms fill up quickly and customers are encouraged to complete their enrollment to ensure placement on the earliest available project. Customers are not billed by Clearway until a solar farm is actively producing power and solar bill credits are generated.
- Can customers visit the Community Solar farms?
No, at this time Clearway does not allow visitors to the solar farms as many are located on private property. Clearway will share information about each solar farm, including the town in which it is located and number of panels, as well as farm photos and videos.
