Solar Atlas · Illinois
Is solar worth it in Chicago, IL?
A 7 kWdc rooftop array in Chicago makes about 9,159 kWh a year (NLR PVWatts, modeled) and pays back in 19.0 years at Commonwealth Edison Co’s 19.2¢/kWh residential rate (Aug 2025–Jul 2026), with no federal credit. Exports follow ComEd supply-only net metering.
41.88°N · 8.9–15.1 h daylight · site signature
- Production
- 1,309 kWh per kWdc per year · capacity factor 14.9% AC
- Residential rate
- 19.2¢/kWh · Commonwealth Edison Co
- Exported solar
- ComEd supply-only net metering · 10.40¢/kWh
- Climate
- hot-summer humid continental (Köppen Dfa) · 10.7 °C mean, 962 mm/yr
Source: NLR PVWatts v8.5.0 (NSRDB PSM V3 GOES tmy-2020 3.2.0) — 1 kW, tilt 20°, azimuth 180°, roof mount, 14% losses · fetched 2026-09-24 · modeled, not metered
Source: EIA-861M utility average · Aug 2025–Jul 2026 · EIA Illinois average Jan–Jul 2026 19.2¢ · utility’s EIA-861 2024 average 15.2¢
Commonwealth Edison Co customers who buy supply from a competitive supplier or community choice aggregator pay delivery plus their supplier’s price; the average shown is the utility’s default (bundled) service.
Source: ComEd customers who applied for net metering on or after 2025-01-01 (earlier systems keep full net metering for the life of the system) · checked 2026-09-25
Source: NOAA NCEI Climate Normals 1991–2020, CHICAGO OHARE INTL AP, IL US (28.2 km away) · fetched 2026-09-24
No federal credit: the homeowner credit (§25D) ended for systems installed after 2025-12-31. A lease or PPA price may reflect the lessor’s §48E credit. 26 U.S.C. §25D(h) and (e)(8)(A) · policy as of 2026-09-24
Make it your answer
Start from your bill. Everything else is prefilled from this page and can be changed.
Your exact roof, or a business
The payback calculator runs hourly PVWatts at your address. The Modeler opens a grid-tied home at Chicago. A business goes to the Quote Studio with the 16.5¢/kWh commercial rate.