National Solar Capacity Ranking: 15th
Data Current Through: Q3 2024
Illinois is a growing solar market that has benefited from a strong renewable portfolio standard that requires they generate 25% of their energy from renewable sources by 2025. The amount of solar capacity installed in Illinois is expected to grow by more than 1,700% over the next five years.
3,512
14th (13th in 2023)
544,566 homes
2.27%
5,975
373 (76 Manufacturers, 114 Installers/Developers, 183 Others)
$6.2 billion
37% over the last 10 years
11277 MW over the next 5 years (ranks 6th)
98,411
Illinois Energy Storage Policy and Market Overview
Illinois is investing in the procurement of energy storage assets and a robust market. The state codifies energy equity into program design, offers various streams of funding, and is actively pursuing an energy storage procurement target.
Illinois employs unique market expansion and deployment strategies. Notably, the state pursued aggressive demonstration through the Coal-to-Solar and Energy Storage Initiative. Additionally, the state institutes regulatory adaptation and has directed electric utilities serving more than 200,000 customers to adopt energy storage targets by 2032 (Energy Transition Act – SB 2408). Battery storage will be a monumental part of grid reliability in Illinois and regulators are taking steps to advance the market and energy storage benefits.
Legislated utility rebates and state grants are alleviating upfront energy storage costs for a variety of customers. The state has taken significant strides to advance energy storage through customer net metering, large-scale procurement actions, and inclusive grant opportunities. The active development of state legislation (HB5856/SB3959) supporting a procurement target, and VPP programs could vastly grow the market, lower customer rates, and improve grid stability.
Illinois Energy Storage Policy Resources