Best 5 Solar Companies in Palatine, IL

How To Choose the Best Solar Company in Palatine

The more informed your provider search is, the better your solar system will ultimately perform. Here are some important factors to bear in mind while searching for a solar provider.

Licensing and Training

In Illinois, the state Commerce Commission licenses distributed generation energy contractors, including home solar installers. You should also visit a company's website to learn about its private credentials. Two of the most respected are the PV Installation Professional and Solar Heating Installer certificates, granted by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP). Some companies don't publish this information online, so you should also ask your estimator about them.

Cost of Solar Panels in Palatine

Different solar panel types look and perform differently. Monocrystalline panels offer the best energy production but cost more than other options and generally have the highest quality. Polycrystalline panels produce less power, but start at a more budget-friendly price point. Thin-film panels work well for small projects like RVs and sheds, but they're not ideal for larger installations due to their low performance.

If you need to charge an electric car or use your solar power in cloudy weather, you can pay extra for accessories. By choosing the right components, you can make your system more productive and convenient to use. Not every solar contractor includes these add-ons, so look for a company that sells them if it's a priority for you.

If you're a resident of Palatine and are looking into a five-kilowatt solar energy system, you could plan to spend about $18,800 for materials and labor. See more information on specific component and solar panel costs in the table.

Financing Solar Energy in Palatine

There are numerous ways to pay for a new solar system, and the right one will lower your costs. A few of the most common options include leases, loans, power purchase agreements (PPAs), and cash payments. Though it requires a large up-front payment, cash is the most cost-effective choice because it qualifies you for solar incentives and doesn't accrue interest. Solar loans are the second most effective option. As with a car loan or mortgage, 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 involve paying a set monthly rate to use rooftop panels. A PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) permits you to pay a monthly rate based only on the energy you use, as with an electric bill. We generally don’t recommend these two options because you won't own the system and are disqualified from using solar incentives. We suggest working with a provider that offers multiple financing options. Ask each consultant about what's available, and acquire more than one estimate for the best odds of keeping within your budget.

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

You can claim a 26% federal solar tax credit from the IRS for new residential solar systems purchased before 2032. Additionally, utilities and local governments may have their own financing plans and rebates that could reduce your total cost even more.