Best 5 Solar Companies in Wheeling, IL

How To Choose the Best Solar Company in Wheeling

Choosing a company is the first step toward an effective and cost-efficient solar energy system. Make your choice based on the following important considerations.

Licensing and Training

In Illinois, the state Commerce Commission issues licenses to distributed generation energy contractors, including residential solar contractors. You should also visit a company's website to learn about its private accreditations. Two of the most respected are the Solar Heating Installer and PV Installation Professional certificates, awarded 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 Wheeling

Your solar modules' type will influence how much electricity 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.

Additional accessories, such as battery storage and electric vehicle (EV) chargers, will raise your overall installation costs. However, they might make your solar system more efficient and convenient to use. Not every solar company provides these add-ons, so look for a contractor that sells them if it's a priority for you.

You can plan to spend about $18,800 on average for a five-kilowatt solar energy system in Wheeling. Check the table in this section to get an idea of how much Wheeling solar companies might quote for your specific solar system's price.

Financing Solar Energy in Wheeling

There are many ways to pay for new solar panels, and the right one will help you decrease overhead. A few of the most common options include leases, loans, cash payments, and power purchase agreements (PPAs). We advise paying with cash or securing a solar loan for the best return on investment (ROI). Cash payments require a hefty sum up-front, but you’ll pay the least long-term by avoiding interest. You’ll also own your system and can apply for solar panel incentives to cut your total costs. Solar loans are another good option if you don’t want to make a big initial investment. You can pay for your system in installments while still benefiting from energy bill savings and solar incentives. However, you’ll spend more in total due to accruing interest. Solar leases involve paying a set monthly rate to use rooftop panels. A PPA (Power Purchase Agreement) lets you pay a monthly rate based only on the energy you use, like an electric bill. We usually don’t recommend these two choices because you won't own the panels and are disqualified from using solar incentives. We advise working with an installer that offers multiple financing options. Speak with each agent about what's available, and secure more than one estimate for the best odds of staying within your budget.

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

A 26% federal solar tax credit applies to new home solar systems purchased through 2032. Further incentives may be available through city and state governments, usually in the form of rebates and special financing programs.