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If a customer either chooses not to apply for net metering or their system size is above 100 kW, they will need to apply for an agreement called a Qualifying Facility agreement. This agreement requires the customer to make one of the following choices.
- No excess energy will be purchased by Ameren Missouri: The metering equipment necessary to measure the energy from the customer to Ameren Missouri will not be installed. Any energy delivered from the customer to Ameren Missouri will not be measured and the customer will not be compensated for this energy.
- Excess energy purchases by Ameren Missouri –Metering equipment to measure the delivery of energy from Customer to Company– will be installed. Any energy delivered by Customer to Company will be purchased by Company in accordance with Company’s Electric Power Purchases From Qualifying Facilities tariff, and Customer will be assessed the monthly Customer Charge specified in Section 1.c. (in addition to the Customer Charge applicable under Company’s standard rates for retail electric service). Energy purchased by Company will be at the rates specified in Section 1.a. Non-Time-Differentiated rate unless the Customer has elected to purchase energy under one of Company’s Time-of-Day rates in which case the energy purchased by Company will be at the rates specified in Section 1.b. Time-Differentiated rate.
A one line diagram and spec sheets for the equipment are required with the Qualifying Facility application (PDF) for our engineering staff to review.
| Net Metering | Qualifying Facility | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum System Size | Maximum size for net metering for residential or commercial installations is 100 kW or enough to offset the full load of the facility. | Maximum size for a Qualifying Facility is 500 kW. For larger systems please contact Applied Energy Group at amerensolar@appliedenergygroup.com |
| Online Application | Yes | Yes for systems up to 500 kW. For larger systems please email amerensolar@appliedenergygroup.com |
| Billing | The customer is billed monthly for the net difference in what they received from Ameren Missouri and what they delivered to Ameren Missouri. If more is delivered than received, the customer will receive a credit on their energy statement. | The customer chooses one of the following. (1) No excess energy will be purchased and no metering equipment will be installed. Any energy delivered to Ameren Missouri will not be measured and the customer will not be compensated for this energy. (2) A bi-directional meter is installed and any energy delivered by the customer to Ameren Missouri will be purchased at the tariff rate. *No netting occurs under a QF agreement. Any energy that flows to Ameren Missouri is purchased by Ameren Missouri. |
| Bi-directional meter | There is a one-time charge on the customer's energy statement. | If the customer has chosen sales of excess production to Ameren Missouri, a bi-directional meter charge is billed monthly on the energy statement. |
As of December 31st, 2023, Ameren Missouri no longer has a solar rebate program. However, new and expanding solar installations are required to go through the application process.
View details regarding Ameren Missouri Solar Rebates (PDF).
Your energy statement will include a few new items. You will now see how much energy you are sending to Ameren Missouri-Customer kWh to Utility. You will also see how much you are purchasing from Ameren Missouri-Net Billable kWh. Please view a sample bill (PDF).
Please note the following regarding net metering:
- If your solar system produces more energy than you use, you will receive a credit on your energy statement at the net metering rate of:
- SUMMER (June through September) 3.84 cents per kWh
- WINTER (October through May) 3.39 cents per kWh
- If your system produces more than you consume you WILL NOT have a zero bill. All other regular monthly charges will still apply.
- Community Solar Customers: Please contact Ameren to cancel your community solar subscription. Ameren will not be able to switch your billing to net metering if you are still subscribed to the community solar program.
- Budget Billing Customers: It is advised to reevaluate your budget billing when you install solar. Keeping budget billing may increase your bill rather than reduce it if your solar panels are working to reduce your electric usage.
Ameren Missouri must review your renewable project before operation/installation to determine whether the renewable system could adversely affect the safety, reliability or quality of the local electric utility service. See the Ameren Service Manual (PDF) for technical requirements reference. Also see recent Residential Meter Socket Change Information (PDF).
The maximum allowable system size in kW DC is calculated based on your past 12 month usage. If a customer account has a single revenue meter, please see the example below to calculate maximum allowable.
Most recent 12 billing month load kWh/(8,760 hrs. x 15.6% Capacity Factor) = Maximum Allowable Nameplate Capacity in kW DC
Example:
Previous 12 month load = 13,512 kWh
- Hours in a year = 8,760 hours
- Solar Capacity Factor = 15.6% (based on DOE PV Watts)
- Maximum Allowable Nameplate Capacity = 13,512/(8,760 x 0.156) = 9.887 kW
*Please note, this formula should be used only as an estimate. Upon receipt of a Net Metering Application, Ameren Missouri will evaluate the account and calculate the maximum based on the most recent 12 month usage.
For net metering, installation agreements cannot exceed 100 kW.
For Residential new construction, please contact Ameren Renewables with your new home’s square footage (living space only – minus garage and basement even if finished) to obtain your maximum solar nameplate capacity.
For Commercial new construction, please complete the Commercial Load Sheet (PDF) and email to Ameren Renewables to obtain your maximum solar nameplate capacity.
If adding panels to an existing solar system, the solar system must still be within the maximum allowable nameplate capacity.
Maximum Allowable Nameplate Capacity = 13,512/(8,760 x 0.156) = 9.887 kW
*Please note, this formula should be used only as an estimate. Upon receipt of a Net Metering Application, Ameren Missouri will evaluate the account and calculate the maximum based on the most recent 12 month usage.
A certified installer will submit all the necessary paperwork to Ameren on your behalf. As your application moves through the process, we'll keep you informed via email from Ameren's software system, PowerClerk. Planning on self-installation? Please review the application guide (PDF) to learn more about using PowerClerk to submit your application.
A certified installer will help you determine which system is best for you. Your installer will help navigate you through the application process and ensure that your system is installed and operating properly. To learn more about finding a certified installer please visit the Illinois Commerce Commission, Illinois Solar Energy Association and Illinois Solar for All.
Resources for Developers
How to Qualify
- To qualify, residential and non-residential customers must own or operate a renewable fuel-powered generator of 2,000 kW capacity or less, which is located on the customers’ premises and is used to offset some or all of their electric usage.
- Eligible renewable fuels are solar, wind, dedicated crops grown for electricity production, anaerobic digestion of livestock or food processing waste, fuel cells or microturbines powered by renewable fuels, hydroelectricity, agricultural residues, livestock manure, landscape trimmings and untreated and unadulterated wood wastes.
- Customers using renewably-fueled generators with nameplate capacities larger than 2,000 kva may qualify to receive compensation through Rider QF-Qualifying Facilities.
Charges or Fees
- All non-residential customers served under Delivery Service tariffs DS-3 or DS-4 pay the normal charges associated with installing the extraordinary equipment needed to provide dual channel metering.
- All applicants are subject to any applicable parallel generator interconnection fees.
- In addition, all installations after Dec. 31, 2013, will be required to be self-installed or installed by a certified installer according to Part 468 Distributed Generation Installer Certification of the Admin Code.
For applications after January 1, 2025, excess generation will be credited to the bill's Supply section. These credits will not expire and will carry over until they are used. When applying for net metering, the applicant will need to choose between two methods:
- kWh Yes - (kWh Usage Netting): On-site excess generation (including prior carryover kWh) will net from Total kWh in calculating Supply Net Total kWh and Supply Net Billable kWh while the Delivery Net Billable kWh will equal Total kWh.
- kWh No - (Monetary Value Netting): This method coverts your excess generation into monetary credits based on current pricing. Excess Monetary credits are carried over to the next bill to be applied to the supply section.
This choice is a one-time decision and cannot be changed later. Monetary credits are based on either Ameren Illinois' current month's supply pricing or the Alternate Retail Supplier's pricing.
How to Qualify
- QFs are small-scale generators of commercial energy that meet Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's (FERC) requirements for ownership, size and efficiency to qualify as non-utility generation units. Because they do not directly serve utility customers, QFs are exempt from many federal and state regulatory requirements, including federal and state rate regulation and oversight by the Securities and Exchange Commission. QFs are not exempt from environmental regulations.
- To operate as a QF, a customer’s generation facility must comply with the standards set forth in Part 430 of the Illinois Administrative Code.
Charges or Fees
- Utility companies are obliged to purchase energy from QFs based on a pricing structure referred to as “avoided cost” rates.
- Since Ameren Illinois does not own any generation plants and procures all of its electric power and supply from the wholesale market, QF customers of Ameren Illinois are compensated based on an annual compilation of Midwest wholesale electric market pricing data as published in Platts, an independent publisher of energy and commodity information.
- The pricing data is then shaped to synchronize the on- and off-peak pricing periods of the Midwest market and Ameren Illinois.
- Ameren Illinois pays the same level of compensation in all Rate Zones for output from QF operators. See the current compensation rates.
Ameren Illinois recently completed the programming necessary to provide rebates to small commercial Delivery Service Class 2 (DS-2) who use smart inverters to interconnect their renewable generator or energy storage system (ESS, or battery) to Ameren's electric grid. The rebate for inverters used to interconnect generators are $300/KW-DC, and the rebate available for inverters used to connect ESS is $300/KW-hour, and they're available to both customers with existing generation and/or ESS at their business and to customers who will be installing that equipment in the future.
Since this a new offering for the ESS for our small commercial customers, we've developed some FAQs to help you decide whether you should apply for this rebate, since the legislation that created the rebate also includes some requirements associated with receiving the rebate.
Receipt of a rebate that's tied to the generator or energy storage system triggers the following changes in a residential customer's electric billing and crediting:
- For customers served under Rider NM – Net Metering and receive a rebate on their generator, credits for any excess generation pushed to the grid will no longer be applied to their delivery service charges. The crediting for their supply service and transmission service charges will continue.
All small commercial (DS-2) customers receiving an Energy Storage System rebate will be required to receive service under the following option, and that choice is binding on the current customer at the business as well as all future business customers at that premise:
- Real Time Pricing (Rider RTP) – An electric supply service offered by Ameren Illinois that uses the day-ahead hourly prices published by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) to calculate charges for electric supply service. If you're served under Rider NM – Net Metering, the hourly prices will also be used to calculate the compensation that you receive for any excess generation pushed to the grid. If customers select this program, they and any successor customers at their residence will not be able to receive supply service under any other option, whether the service is offered by the Company or a third party supplier.
Ameren Illinois recently completed the programming necessary to provide rebates to Large Commercial and Industrial Delivery Service Class (DS-3, 4 and 6) who use smart inverters to interconnect their renewable generator or energy storage system (ESS, or battery) to Ameren's electric grid. The rebate for inverters used to interconnect generators are $250/KW-DC, and the rebate available for inverters used to connect ESS is $250/KW-hour, and they're available to both customers with existing generation and/or ESS at their business and to customers who will be installing that equipment in the future.
Since this a new offering for the ESS for our larger commercial customers, please review the following details to help you decide whether you should apply for this rebate, since the legislation that created the rebate also includes some requirements associated with receiving the rebate.
Every solar installation is unique; Ameren Illinois recommends our customers be informed and involved throughout every step of the process. A certified installer should be able to assist you in gathering information when considering the following questions:
- Do you have a roof or area large enough to accommodate solar panels?
- How much sun does your roof or large area receive?
- What is the age or condition of your roof?
- Can your existing roof support solar panels being added to it?
- Will the benefits of installing solar panels be worth the investment? Consider the rate of return on your investment.
If you answered yes to the above questions, it might be appropriate to move forward with the installation of Solar Panels.
If your property's roof has open space, and you can make the investment, a rooftop solar energy system may be right for you. Because you will be connected to Ameren's smart grid, Ameren Illinois will continue to deliver energy to your home when it needs more power ensuring you have access to a supply of energy.
If you did not answer yes to the above questions: it might be appropriate to check into Community Solar.
No. You cannot operate your private generation system until:
- Your Interconnection Application has been approved by Ameren Illinois.
- You have submitted a Certificate of Completion to Ameren Illinois in accordance with Illinois Administrative Code Title 83 Part 466 and have received a signed Certificate of Completion from Ameren Illinois.