Beginning in 2025, the Illinois net metering program underwent some changes, but it did not “go away.” Net metering, which has since been transitioned to Smart Solar Billing, is a policy which allows solar customers to receive credit on their utility bill for excess solar energy production. Near the end of the installation process, your utility will either reprogram or replace your current electric meter with a net meter which spins in reverse to account for solar production. Engineers create a custom design for every location to determine exactly how many panels it would take to offset your current electrical consumption.
If your system was installed before January 1st, 2025, you are grandfathered into the traditional net metering program and will continue to receive full retail credit.
Customers whose systems were installed after December 31st, 2024, will receive utility bill credits under the new Smart Solar Billing program, which has some differences:
The credit amount will be equal to the electric supply rate on your bill.
As of January 1st, 2025, utility bill credits will only be applied to the Electric Supply portion of your utility bill, which means you are still responsible for Electric Delivery charges.
The good news is, surplus credits roll over month to month and no longer expire.
