Best 5 Solar Companies in Belleville, IL

How To Choose the Best Solar Company in Belleville

The more comprehensive your company investigation is, the better your solar system will ultimately operate. Consider each of these aspects in your contractor search.

Licensing and Training

In Illinois, the state Commerce Commission licenses distributed generation energy contractors, including home solar installers. Check a company's website for private accreditations from the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP), among the solar sector's most reputed trade groups. Its program includes certifications for both solar photovoltaic and water heating installers.

Cost of Solar Panels in Belleville

Your solar panels' type will influence how much power you can generate. Monocrystalline panels are among the highest quality and perform the best but cost the most. Polycrystalline panels offer you a budget panel with a traditional design, but at the cost of less power generation. Thin-film panels have a low cost and are excellent for non-traditional roofs, but aren't recommended for large home installations.

If you need to charge an electric car or use your solar power in inclement weather, you can pay extra for accessories. By selecting the right components, you can make your panel array more effective and convenient to use. Not every solar company includes these optional components, so look for a provider that installs them if it's a priority for you.

Generally speaking, it costs about $18,800 for a five-kilowatt solar array in Belleville. This table displays more specific costs for different solar panel types and system components in your area.

Financing Solar Energy in Belleville

Solar contractors use multiple different financing options to increase your savings and lower your costs. Though some providers offer unique payment plans, the most common are cash payments, solar leases, power purchase agreements (PPAs) and solar loans. Though it requires a large up-front payment, cash is the most economical choice because it doesn't accrue interest and qualifies you for incentives. Solar loans are the next best option. As with a car or home loan, you'll pay a monthly rate towards system ownership, including interest. You can still apply for cost-saving solar incentives, and depending on your lender, you could put as little as $0 down. Solar leases allow you to pay a monthly fee to rent your panels, while a power purchase agreement lets you pay a variable rate based on only the energy you use. We generally advise against these options since you will not have ownership of your system and are disqualified from solar incentives, but they might be suitable in specific circumstances. We advise working with a provider that offers multiple financing options. Talk to each consultant about what's available, and secure more than one estimate for the best odds of staying within your spending limits.

The table below lists the average payback periods for different capacities of solar systems in Belleville.

You are eligible for a 26% federal solar tax credit for new solar power systems until the year 2032. Municipal and state governments and utility companies might also offer rebates, discounts, and specialized financing options that could save you more.