What’s New with Illinois Solar for All?

The Illinois Solar for All (ILSFA) program has entered its sixth year! The Program Administrator is excited to share notable updates and information, including the launch of two new initiatives and a new career opportunity with the ILSFA Program Administrator.

Bright Neighborhoods Initiative Delivers a Brighter Future for Communities

The Illinois Solar for All: Bright Neighborhoods initiative aims to bring the benefits of residential solar to income-eligible households across West Garfield Park, Chicago; Waukegan; and the Carbondale-Marion area, including Jackson, Williamson, and Johnson counties.

Bright Neighborhoods intends to bolster enrollment among homeowners in these community areas because of the high number of income-eligible households who have shown an interest in solar. Bright Neighborhoods ensures all income-eligible participants see savings on their electric bills, no upfront costs, and a safe and transparent experience.

Does Bright Neighborhoods sound like the perfect opportunity for your household to get in on the solar action? Act fast! Enrollment for Bright Neighborhoods is only open through November 30, 2023. To enroll or learn more about Bright Neighborhoods, visit IllinoisSFA.com/Bright.

Don’t live in the three communities mentioned above but wan to realize the benefits of solar? Learn more about the Illinois Solar for All program to find the right opportunity for you!

Home Repairs and Upgrades Initiative Makes Solar More Accessible

Illinois Solar for All has launched the Home Repairs and Upgrades initiative to support homeowners requiring necessary repairs to support their residential solar installations. Illinois Solar for All wants to help alleviate the costs of those repairs and enable participants to move forward with residential solar by assisting participants in identifying funds to cover costs to complete electrical work and roof repairs and help with associated fees.

Learn more about how you can use the Home Repairs and Upgrades initiative to take steps toward installing residential solar by visiting the ILSFA website.

Illinois Solar for All Named as a Finalist for the 2023 Sunny Awards

Illinois Solar for All is proud to share that the program has been recognized as a finalist for the American-Made 2023 Sunny-Awards for Equitable Community Solar (The Sunny Awards), organized by the U.S. Department of Energy, Solar Energy Technologies Office, and the National Community Solar Partnership. ILSFA is one of the seven finalists serving as a blueprint for community solar programs that increase households’ access to community solar subscriptions, which provide electricity bill savings.

The Sunny Awards is a prize competition that recognizes community solar projects and programs that employ or develop best practices to increase equitable access to the meaningful benefits of community solar for subscribers and their communities. In 2022, the inaugural year of Sunny Awards competition, ILSFA won Sunny Awards Special Recognition for providing meaningful benefits through greater household cost savings and for promoting solar access for low-and moderate-income households. By providing accessible and affordable solar installations for households across Illinois, ILSFA plays a pivotal role in ensuring an equitable clean energy transition for historically disadvantaged communities across the state. Grand Prize Award winners will be announced in November!

New Disclosure Forms Enhance ILSFA’s Consumer Protections

Illinois Solar for All is releasing new Disclosure Forms for the new program year for all sub-programs. ILSFA’s approved solar companies use Disclosure Forms to provide clear and consistent information to prospective participants considering a solar offer through the program. Disclosure Forms provide a wide variety of information that potential participants should know.

The information provided includes a financial summary of savings and costs, contract terms, system equipment, and warranty, as well as an estimate of the price and performance of the system installed, including projected savings for the first year. Disclosure Forms also allow participants to compare different offers among approved solar companies.

ILSFA created detailed explanations called Deep Dives to help participants understand the details of their Disclosure Form. The Deep Dives walk participants through each Disclosure Form, section by section, and provide information and greater context about solar offers.

Prevailing Wage Added for Illinois Solar for All: Community Solar and Non-Profit and Public Facilities Projects

Illinois Solar for All has instituted the minimum compensation level, Prevailing Wage, set by the Illinois Department of Labor for Community Solar and Non-Profit and Public Facilities projects. All projects submitted to the ILSFA program after July 3, 2023 that receive a Renewable Energy Credit (“REC”) contract are considered public works and are subject to the requirements of the Prevailing Wage Act.

A New Cohort of Grassroots Educators to Be Announced Soon

Grassroots Educators are deeply involved and trusted members of their communities. Grassroots Educators work to educate and engage community members about the benefits of solar energy and the Illinois Solar for All program.

Currently, the Program Administrator is in the process of notifying selected Grassroots Education organizations for the 2023-2024 program year. The announcement of the selected organizations will be issued soon.

Community Solar Participant Expresses Excitement Over Savings

Delia Perez, a participant in the Community Solar sub-program, shares how receiving credits from her community solar subscription has saved her money. Watch this video to hear Delia explain how she now sees an average savings of $50 on her monthly electric bills and hopes that more people will join her in adopting solar energy.

The Program Administrator is Hiring – Open Positions within Illinois Solar for All

Do you believe in a future powered by affordable and accessible solar? If you do, consider joining the Illinois Solar for All team! Working with ILSFA means you’ll help deliver the benefits of solar and the renewable energy economy to income-eligible and environmental justice communities across our state.

The Program Administrator is excited to share the following opportunity:

• Associate, Marketing: The Associate, Marketing helps increase participation and engagement for Illinois Solar for All by developing and executing marketing plans, maintaining strategic relationships, writing compelling content, and testing new promotion strategies. Applicants should have at least one year of experience in marketing, advertising, or related experience with knowledge of traditional and digital marketing. This position is located in Chicago, Illinois, and is currently remote.