About ComEd Territory
Commonwealth Edison — ComEd, an Exelon company — is the largest electric utility in Illinois, serving more than 3.8 million customers (roughly 3.3 million residential and 500,000 business and government accounts) across an 11,400-square-mile service area that reaches all or part of 25 northern Illinois counties. Its territory runs roughly from the Wisconsin border in the north down to Iroquois County in the south, and from the Iowa border in the west to the Indiana border in the east — a footprint that includes Chicago and its collar counties (Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, Will, McHenry, and Kendall) along with a wide band of northern Illinois beyond the metro, including Winnebago County (Rockford) and DeKalb County.
How do you know if you’re a ComEd customer? Check the company name at the top of your electric bill. If it reads “Commonwealth Edison” or “ComEd,” you’re in ComEd territory and everything on this page applies to you. Not every part of northern or western Illinois is ComEd, though — the Quad Cities area is served by MidAmerican Energy, and territory transitions to Ameren Illinois as you move south and west along corridors like I-80. If you’re not sure, we confirm your exact utility from your address before we design or quote anything.
ComEd Solar & Net Billing, Straight Talk
ComEd’s solar rules changed in a real way starting January 1, 2025, and a lot of online content hasn’t caught up. Here’s what actually applies today, in plain language, with the trade-offs spelled out rather than glossed over.
Net Billing (New Systems)
Since January 1, 2025, new ComEd solar customers no longer get traditional full-retail net metering. Instead, exported solar energy is credited only against the supply/generation portion of your bill, not delivery charges or fixed fees. Unlike Ameren, ComEd doesn’t give this a separate branded name — it’s simply called net billing. You still save by offsetting the power you’d otherwise buy from ComEd; the credit just doesn’t stretch as far as legacy net metering did.
Legacy Net Metering (Grandfathered)
If your system was interconnected and granted permission to operate on or before December 31, 2024, you keep full-retail net metering for that system’s life under current rules — delivery charges included. That status isn’t automatically lost when the panels age; it can be forfeited if you later make a change that requires a new interconnection application, like adding capacity.
Solar Generation Rebate
A one-time rebate of $300 per kilowatt of installed nameplate capacity for residential and small commercial systems, capped at 5,000 kW total system size, and only for systems using a smart inverter interconnected after August 11, 2022. Consumer guidance from the Citizens Utility Board describes a general window of roughly 90 days after your application is complete, though ComEd doesn’t publish a guaranteed payment date. Important trade-off: accepting this rebate permanently moves the system to supply-only net billing — including for otherwise-grandfathered legacy systems. It’s a real decision, not a free bonus, and we walk through it with you before you apply.
Battery Storage Rebate
A one-time rebate of $300 per kilowatt-hour of nameplate battery capacity for residential and small commercial systems. It requires enrolling in, and maintaining, ComEd’s hourly Rate BESH pricing plan for the life of the storage facility, and it isn’t available if you’re enrolled in Community Solar at the same time — the two programs don’t stack. Unlike the generation rebate, taking only the storage rebate does not cause a legacy net-metering customer to lose their grandfathered status.
A note on RECs: when your ComEd-territory system generates power, it also creates Renewable Energy Certificates. If you sell those RECs into Illinois Shines, you’re being paid for that environmental attribute, and that value typically helps offset your system cost through financing rather than arriving as a separate check. That also means you shouldn’t expect to separately claim “100% green power” for a system whose RECs have been sold; we’ll be direct with you about what you keep and what you sell.
Cities We Serve in ComEd Territory
SolQ has built dedicated pages for the ComEd-territory markets below — each with its own local details, honest install proof, and utility-specific FAQ. Start with your city, or use this page as the ComEd-wide reference.
Chicago
Dense multifamily and condo housing, community solar for renters and owners without roof access, and the city’s own clean-energy goals.
Naperville
Affluent, high-owner-occupancy collar-county suburb well suited to cash or loan purchase and premium equipment.
Aurora
One of Illinois’s largest cities by population, spanning Kane and DuPage counties, with a broad mix of housing stock.
Schaumburg-Elgin
Northwest suburban corridor with real SolQ install history and a strong corporate-campus commercial base.
Rockford
Winnebago County’s manufacturing and logistics hub along the I-90/I-39 corridor, with real SolQ install history.
DeKalb
NIU college town and agricultural economy along the I-88 corridor, west of the Chicago collar counties.
Joliet
Major logistics and distribution hub in Will County along I-80, with strong large-roof commercial potential.
Don’t see your town listed by name? SolQ serves ComEd’s broader footprint beyond these seven pages — if ComEd is the name on your bill, we very likely install in your area. Reach out and we’ll confirm coverage for your specific address.
Illinois Shines in ComEd Territory
Illinois Shines is the state’s Adjustable Block Program, administered on behalf of the Illinois Power Agency to help Illinois meet its renewable energy goals. It works the same way in ComEd territory as anywhere else in the state: when your solar system generates electricity, it creates Renewable Energy Certificates, and an Approved Vendor can sell those RECs into the program on your behalf, typically factored into your financing to help offset system cost. SolQ is a registered Designee under multiple Approved Vendors participating in Illinois Shines. We are not the State of Illinois, the Illinois Power Agency, the Illinois Commerce Commission, or ComEd, and we don’t control REC pricing or how much program capacity is left in any given block.
A few things worth knowing before you sign anything: REC value depends on current program pricing and available block capacity, both of which are set by the program administrator and change over time, not by SolQ. If a project category is at capacity, new applications can be waitlisted rather than enrolled immediately, and we’ll tell you if that applies to your proposal instead of implying instant availability. We’ll show you the current ComEd-territory program mechanics that apply to your specific address rather than a number pulled from an old rate card.
Is Your ComEd-Territory Home a Good Fit?
Roof Type & Age
Single-family rooftops across the collar counties and outlying towns are typically the easiest fit. We assess roof age and condition during your free consultation before recommending anything.
Multifamily & Condo
If you rent, or own a condo without roof access — common in Chicago proper — a rooftop system isn’t always possible. Community solar subscriptions are the more realistic path for many urban ComEd customers.
Usage & Bill Size
We review 12 months of your actual ComEd usage, not a generic Illinois average, to size a system around what you actually use.
Shading & Orientation
Mature tree canopy in established suburbs and taller neighboring buildings in denser parts of ComEd territory both affect production. We model your specific roof with Aurora Solar’s design software plus an on-site check, not a satellite guess.
Real SolQ Installs in ComEd Territory
We’d rather give you an honest number than an inflated one. Per our completed-project records through July 2026, SolQ has nine confirmed completed installs across ComEd territory to date — real systems in Rockford, Mount Prospect, Elgin, Poplar Grove, Belvidere, Palatine, and Prospect Heights. That’s a smaller footprint than our long-established Iowa business (1,179 completed installs statewide) or our deeper Ameren Illinois presence around Decatur, Peoria, and Champaign-Urbana — ComEd territory, and Chicago-area solar specifically, is a newer and fast-growing market for SolQ, not a place we’ve been for a decade.
What doesn’t change by market is the standard behind the install: the same 4.8-star Google rating across 413 reviews, A+ BBB rating, EnergySage 2026 Local Installer of the Year award, and NABCEP-certified crews stand behind every ComEd-territory project, whether it’s our first in your town or our fiftieth.
ComEd Territory Solar FAQ
How do I know if I’m a ComEd customer and not Ameren or MidAmerican?
Check the company name printed at the top of your electric bill. If it says “Commonwealth Edison” or “ComEd,” you’re a ComEd customer. Ameren Illinois serves central and southern Illinois, and MidAmerican Energy serves the Quad Cities area; territory boundaries can be close together near I-80, so we confirm your exact utility from your address before quoting anything.
What counties does ComEd serve?
ComEd serves all or part of 25 counties across northern Illinois, an 11,400-square-mile area running roughly from the Wisconsin border in the north to Iroquois County in the south, and from the Iowa border in the west to the Indiana border in the east. That includes Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, Will, McHenry, and Kendall counties in the Chicago area, plus Winnebago County (Rockford) and DeKalb County further out.
Does ComEd still offer net metering?
Not for new systems. Since January 1, 2025, new ComEd solar customers are placed on net billing, which credits exported energy only against the supply portion of your bill, not delivery charges or fixed fees. Systems interconnected and granted permission to operate on or before December 31, 2024 keep full legacy net metering for that system’s life under current rules.
I already have solar with ComEd. Do I lose my old net metering?
Not automatically. If your system was interconnected and granted permission to operate on or before December 31, 2024, you keep full legacy net metering under current rules, unless you later apply for a new interconnection (such as adding capacity) or elect the Solar Generation Rebate, both of which move you to supply-only net billing.
How much is the ComEd Solar Generation Rebate?
$300 per kilowatt of installed nameplate capacity for residential and small commercial systems, one time, for systems using a smart inverter and interconnected after August 11, 2022, capped at 5,000 kW total system size. Consumer guidance suggests payment typically follows within about 90 days of a completed application, though ComEd does not publish a guaranteed date.
Is there a catch to the Solar Generation Rebate?
Yes, and we’ll tell you upfront: accepting the rebate permanently moves your system to supply-only net billing, even if it was previously grandfathered under full legacy net metering. For some legacy customers, the one-time rebate isn’t worth giving up ongoing full-retail credits. We’ll run the numbers for your specific situation before you apply.
How does the ComEd Battery Storage Rebate work?
It pays $300 per kilowatt-hour of nameplate battery capacity, one time, for residential and small commercial systems. It requires enrolling in and maintaining ComEd’s hourly Rate BESH pricing plan for the life of the storage facility, and it can’t be combined with Community Solar enrollment. Taking only the storage rebate, without the generation rebate, does not cause a legacy net-metering customer to lose their grandfathered status.
Can I get the battery rebate if I’m subscribed to Community Solar?
No. ComEd’s Battery Storage Rebate requires Rate BESH enrollment, and that isn’t compatible with a simultaneous Community Solar subscription. If community solar is part of your plan, we’ll walk through how that affects your battery options before you commit to either program.
Is solar really “free” in ComEd territory?
No, and we’ll never tell you it is. Illinois Shines pays for the RECs your system produces, and ComEd’s rebates can offset real cost, but neither makes the equipment or installation free. A $0-down Lease or PPA means no upfront cash from you, not that the system has no cost; you’re paying for the power it produces over the contract term instead.
Is the federal solar tax credit still available in ComEd territory?
For cash and loan purchases, no. The 30% federal residential credit (Section 25D) ended for systems not completed by December 31, 2025. Lease/PPA customers still benefit indirectly: our financing partner owns the system and claims a separate federal credit for commercial-owned solar (Section 48E, active through 2027), part of how they can offer $0-down payments. We’ll walk through exactly what applies before you sign anything.
Is SolQ affiliated with ComEd, the State of Illinois, or Illinois Shines?
No. SolQ is an independent solar installer and a registered Designee under multiple Approved Vendors participating in Illinois Shines. We are not ComEd, the State of Illinois, the Illinois Power Agency, or the Illinois Commerce Commission, and we don’t set rebate amounts, REC pricing, or program capacity. Those are determined by ComEd and the program administrator.
Do I keep the RECs from my ComEd-territory solar system, or does SolQ?
It depends on how you finance. If you own your system through cash or a loan, you own the RECs and can choose whether to sell them into Illinois Shines. If you finance through a Lease or PPA, the financing company typically owns the system and its RECs unless your specific contract states otherwise.
What if I live in ComEd territory but not in one of the cities listed on this page?
We still very likely serve you. SolQ installs throughout ComEd’s broader northern Illinois footprint, not just the seven city pages linked above. Reach out with your address and we’ll confirm coverage, your exact utility, and applicable rebate and net billing terms before you commit to anything.
Built Around ComEd’s Rules, Not a National Template
From net billing and legacy net metering trade-offs to the Solar Generation and Battery Storage rebates, every ComEd-territory proposal starts with your actual utility account and program terms, not a copy-pasted savings estimate from a national call center.
Get My Free Solar AnalysisSolQ is an independent solar provider and is a registered Designee under multiple Approved Vendors participating in Illinois Shines. SolQ is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of ComEd (Commonwealth Edison), Exelon, the State of Illinois, the Illinois Power Agency, the Illinois Commerce Commission, or any government agency. “Illinois Shines” and the Adjustable Block Program are administered by the Illinois Power Agency and its program administrator, not by SolQ. ComEd rebate amounts, Illinois Shines REC pricing, and Illinois Shines block capacity are set by ComEd and the program administrator and change over time; figures on this page are general program information current as of publication, not a quote or guarantee for your system. Solar RECs are a form of compensation for your system’s environmental attributes, not a rebate on the equipment itself, and selling them does not make a system “free.” Savings, rebate, and incentive figures shown are general information and estimates, not guarantees. Actual results vary by system, usage, and current program terms. The federal residential solar tax credit (Section 25D) ended for cash/loan purchases completed after December 31, 2025; a separate credit may apply to third-party-owned Lease/PPA systems through 2027. Financing offered through third-party partners (LightReach for Lease/PPA, Salal Credit Union for loans); terms, including contract length and payment structure, are disclosed in your specific agreement and subject to partner approval. Illinois’s property tax treatment of solar is an alternate assessment method, not a full exemption, and requires an application to your county assessor; confirm current eligibility with your tax advisor. Content verified as of August 2026.