Is solar worth it in Chicago, IL?
A typical 7 kW rooftop system in Chicago produces about 7,503 kWh/year and pays back in roughly 29.2 years against the area’s ~9.6¢/kWh commercial rate. Computed from Chicago’s solar geometry — refine for your exact roof below.
Monthly production — 7 kW system in Chicago
How much solar does Chicago get?
Chicago’s continental climate gives a solar specific yield of about 1,072 kWh per kW of installed panels each year (south-facing, tilted near the latitude of 42°). At an estimated commercial electricity rate of ~9.6¢/kWh, a 7 kW array offsets roughly $720 of bills in year one, for a simple payback near 29.2 years before incentives. Add storage and you can ride through outages and shift usage off peak — model the full system for your address next.
Get the exact payback for your roof
Run real NREL PVWatts production against your actual serving utility — then size storage in the modeler.