ABP: Small System Requirements and Payments

Updated April 2023

The Illinois Shines ABP has six categories: Small Distributed Generation (DG) for DG systems 25 kW and below, Large Distributed Generation for DG systems above 25 kW up to 5 MW in size, Community Solar, Community-Driven Community Solar, Public Schools, and Equity Eligible Contractors

Small System Requirements

Small Distributed Generation (“SDG”) – Distributed Generation projects up to and including 25 kW in size (prior to the December 14, 2021 Program reopening, Small DG projects had to be less than or equal to 10 kW).

System Application Deadlines

Application Availability Applications for the new blocks of capacity made available each Program year across all Program Groups/categories will open on June 1st. Large and small system applications may be submitted throughout the Program year, even when capacity for a Group/category has been filled. 

Payments

See a payment example here. 

Payments on a 15 year REC Delivery Contract are as follows:

REC Delivery

All systems must be registered in either the PJM-GATS or M-RETS tracking registry. For systems larger than 5 kW, the first REC must be delivered within 90 days of the date the system is Energized/Part II verified.

For systems equal to or less than 5 kW, the first REC must be delivered within 180 days of the date the system is Energized/Part II verified.

The delivery term will begin on the first day of the month following the first REC delivery and will last 180 months (for projects under the 2019 REC Delivery Contract and the 2021 and 2022 15-Year REC Delivery Contracts) and 240 months (for projects under the 2021 and 2022 20-Year REC Delivery Contracts).

Any RECs that were created prior to contract signing are not part of the contract and will not be transferred to the utility under the contract or purchased by the utility under the contract.

REC Pricing for 2023-24 Program Year

The following table lists the prices for RECs by each identified Group and category for the block of capacity available for the Program’s 2023-2024 delivery year.

System Expansion from Small to Large

If an expansion would move the total system size from the Small DG category into the Large DG category, and that category is operating on a waitlist, the expansion would be added to the waitlist in the same manner as a new system in that category while the existing system continues to receive REC payments under the previously contracted terms.

Expansion applications submitted prior to the corresponding Group/category reaching full capacity will not be added to the waitlist and instead will be eligible for Part I review.

Revenue Grade Meter

Please note that a revenue grade meter is needed for systems larger than 10kW.

See more information on this in the Illinois Shines 2023-2024 Program Guidebook.