Solrite brings its $0-down solar and storage offering to Illinois retail electric customers

Solrite Energy has brought its no-money-down solar and battery program to Illinois, available to homeowners served by ComEd and Ameren. Under the deal, called a power purchase agreement (PPA), Solrite installs solar panels and a 60 kWh home battery for free, then sells you the power at 12 cents per kWh, rising 2.9% a year over a 25-year contract. That starting rate is about a third less than ComEd's current standard electricity price of roughly 18 cents per kWh, and the annual increase is slightly below Illinois' long-term average price growth. Homeowners who just want a battery, without new solar, can instead pay a flat $20 a month over 20 years. These batteries, made by Duracell, can pair with an existing solar system if it's compatible, or work on their own.

The timing matters because Illinois ended full retail net metering for new solar customers at the start of 2025, meaning homeowners now get much less credit for sending extra solar power back to the grid. Solrite argues its batteries let homeowners store and use more of their own solar power instead of exporting it for low credits. One tradeoff: the company doesn't guarantee how much backup power will be sitting in the battery at any given time, since it also uses the batteries as part of a larger network that responds to grid needs.

Illinois is the fifth state where Solrite offers this program, following Texas, California, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. The company also collects state incentive payments tied to Illinois' renewable energy credit program, though those go to Solrite rather than the homeowner.