Illinois Homes Get Solar + 60kWh Battery for $0 Down

Illinois families worried about climbing electricity bills just got a powerful new option that costs nothing to start.

Texas-based Solrite Energy launched a program offering qualifying homeowners in ComEd and Ameren territories rooftop solar panels paired with a 60 kWh home battery. There's no money down, though homeowners buy the solar power generated at 12 cents per kilowatt-hour under a 25-year agreement.

The real game-changer is the battery size. At 60 kWh, Solrite's Duracell Power Center holds more than four times the energy of a standard Tesla Powerwall, giving families backup power for days instead of hours during outages.

The timing couldn't be better for Illinois. On January 1, 2025, the state switched from full-retail net metering to supply-only credits for rooftop solar customers. That makes excess solar power sent to the grid less valuable, so a large battery that stores more energy for nighttime use suddenly makes much more sense.

Solrite finances, owns, and maintains the entire system while keeping the federal clean energy tax credits and Illinois Shines renewable energy credits. The company says those incentives, combined with revenue from grid services, fund the no-cost-upfront model.

The Ripple Effect

Here's where individual homes become collective power. Solrite connects these batteries into a virtual power plant that responds to grid conditions in as little as 30 seconds. Aggregated across thousands of homes, the systems function like a traditional power plant, supplying electricity or reducing demand during peak periods when the grid needs it most.

"Illinois families are watching their utility bills climb with no ceiling in sight, and the old solar playbook stopped working the day net metering went away," said Solrite CEO Regan George. The company already operates similar programs in Texas, California, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.

Homeowners who already have rooftop solar can apply to add the 60 kWh battery with no upfront payment, subject to compatibility review. Families keep receiving their regular utility bill for grid electricity and other charges, but gain predictable solar rates and serious backup power when storms knock out the grid.

Clean energy that protects both your wallet and your neighborhood is now within reach.