Customer-Owned Solar
Ameren wants to help customers looking to invest in solar energy. There are a variety of options available today, including having solar panels installed on your home. It's important to understand all the steps to private solar installation when connecting to the grid. Keep reading to learn more.
Considering Solar for your Home?
Ameren Illinois customers can apply online for the required interconnection application, Net metering, and Qualifying Facilities applications for customer owned generation.
Apply for Solar for Your Home
Ameren Missouri customers can apply online for the required interconnection application, Net metering, and Qualifying Facilities applications for customer owned generation.
Application Process

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.


Finding a Certified Installer

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 CommissionIllinois Solar Energy Association and Illinois Solar for All

Compensation Options

Net Metering
Net Metering is a compensation method in which output from a qualifying renewable energy source is used to offset the usage on your energy bill. Learn more about how this will appear on your bill.

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.
Excess Generation Credits

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.

Qualifying Facilities
After establishing Distributed Generation with Ameren Illinois, you can apply to become a Qualifying Facility and receive compensation for all of a qualifying generator’s out, based on Midwest wholesale electric market prices.

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.
Rebates

Ameren Illinois recently completed the programming necessary to provide rebates to residential customers (DS-1), small commercial (DS-2) and large commercial (DS-3 & DS-4) who use smart inverters to interconnect their renewable generator or energy storage system (ESS, or battery) to Ameren's electric grid. For DS-1 & DS-2 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 home/business and to customers who will be installing that equipment in the future.

Since this is a new offering for our residential customers, please review the following questions 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.

Resources for Developers

Ameren Illinois has created a one-stop shop for Renewable Energy Developers to obtain all of the information they need to begin and complete a project. From what you need to develop an individual residential project, to Community Solar, and all the way up to a large industrial project.

Is Privately Owned Solar Not Right For You? Try Community Solar.

Investing in solar for your home is a big decision, and if you decide to not move forward, there are other options. Community Solar is an easy, subscription-based way to support solar in your community without installing a single panel.

Resources for Developers

Ameren Illinois has created a one-stop shop for Renewable Energy Developers to obtain all of the information they need to begin and complete a project. From what you need to develop an individual residential project, to Community Solar, and all the way up to a large industrial project.

Is Privately Owned Solar Not Right For You? Try Community Solar.

Investing in solar for your home is a big decision, and if you decide to not move forward, there are other options. Community Solar is an easy, subscription-based way to support solar in your community without installing a single panel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Contact Us

More Questions?

Please contact us at renewablesillinois@ameren.com.

More Questions?

Please contact us at AEG-amerensolar@icf.com.

More Questions?

Please contact us at renewablesillinois@ameren.com.

More Questions?

Please contact us at AEG-amerensolar@icf.com.