This guide is intended as a “how-to” guide for gathering all necessary documents for Carbon Solutions Group, LLC (CSG) to submit a Part 1 Application to the Illinois Shines Adjustable Block Program (ABP). For a more detailed explanation of ABP follow this link.

How does this process work?

Disclaimer: If this information and the provided documentation do not match the final specifications of your system, there can be delays in the application process. Our goal is to provide all matching documentation and information of your final system installation to the state program administrators to process the application efficiently and effectively while adhering to the program’s guidelines. 

If your system does not adhere to the program’s guidelines, we’ll refer you to a partner who is well-versed in this program to ensure the system meets the program’s requirements. We are not sure of our partner’s “stranded” prices, but we’ll do our best to ensure it is convenient and effective for you if you’re willing to continue with the application process. 

If you decide to use our services as your vendor to process your application, please understand that this process is arduous. Due to the program's internal structure, it can take 12-18 months or longer for you to see an SREC check after our REC contract and invoice have been completed. Again, we’ll do everything we can to process your application successfully. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

Disclosure Form

Most of the time, the installer already provided this information. However, if the installer did it under a different vendor, a new one will be required. We need the disclosure form to generate an application. If you believe your application was already submitted to the program, please inform us by including your name, system installation address, email address, and phone number so we can obtain confirmation from the state program administrators. Your application may be further in the process, so we can move forward after we receive confirmation. 

If the AC or DC sizes differ from the program’s guidelines, a new disclosure form can be required, so please be patient as there is an influx of applicants who require this document. 

The disclosure form is the first document that should have been completed by the installer/seller before their installer’s contract was signed. The document can be signed electronically and should be sent from noreply@mail.hellosign.com. Please check your spam folder if you are not able to find it in your inbox.

If you’re not able to sign it electronically, you can wet-sign the document. Please provide all pages and ensure your signature and date are located in the appropriate designated areas. You can provide us all pages of this document to srec@carbonsolutionsgroup.com. If it’s easier, you can take a picture of each individual page and send it to us as well. Please make sure the page is legible and easy for us to read.

The REC figures in the disclosure form are based on estimated figures. These can change accordingly due to the program’s rules and guidelines. Please be advised.

Pre-Installation Documentation

• Installer’s contract - Your seller/installer may have provided you with the installer’s contract. If you have this document, please provide us with all pages and ensure it includes both you and the representative’s signature. It’s OK if you don’t have all pages as we are able to use our REC contract to submit it with the application. 
• Plot Diagram - This document contains information about your planned system. At the time, they provided you with designs to ensure it was to your liking, yet provided the engineering details along with it. It needs to show all panels that were installed. If the document is an exact match to the final installation of your system, then please provide it. If not, that’s OK, we can make one as long as we have pictures of your solar panels. We do need pics of your final installation if you can’t provide us with a plot diagram. These pics need to be clear and easy for us to count.

Delays in the application process have occurred because the diagram doesn’t match the final specs of the system. The program administrators can view your system on Google Earth at times and will compare the documentation to Google Earth.

An example can be found below of what your installer may have provided you with. The highlighted portion shows the panels that were planned to be installed. Many examples can be considered sufficient so if you don’t have this document, that’s OK. 

Another example of a plot diagram can look like this. 

Another example can appear like this. 

• Shading study - This document was provided to you by the seller/installer to ensure the planned system can provide an estimated amount of production based on past weather patterns in your area. There are a variety of different software that provide this document such as Aurora, Helioscope, PV watts, etc. Again, if you don’t have this document, we can create one for your system using PV Watts. If you do have it, then you’re more than welcome to provide this document to us so we can use it for our records.

A good example of a shading study will include this information below. You can see there is annual production. 

Another example shows the estimated annual production of the system highlighted in red. 

• Net meter waiver form  - Depending on your utility, they may or may not provide 1:1 net metering. If they do not provide 1:1 net metering, then a net meter waiver form is required. Your utility may provide some sort of ratio like 0.5:1 net metering, but this does not qualify as 1:1 net metering. We may send you the net metering waiver document which needs to be signed. It will come from DocuSign so it can be electronically signed by you. 

• Utility bill - If your system is located in a rural area, the state program admin will want a utility bill or formal documentation confirming the system is residential or proof that at least 75% of the offset is going toward the home. If you can not provide proof that the system is located on a residence, we can try to file an appeal for you. However, it is difficult to have an appeal approved from the IPA (Illinois Power Agency). This can also cause delays in the application process

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are CSG Fees?

A:  5% collateral - This fee is required upfront by your utility in case your system underperforms the number of RECs you have been paid out upfront. This is also to dissuade applicants from withdrawing from the program as your application is “cemented” into a REC price in the block you are submitted to. This is why the prices are based on the best-estimated prices available at the time. Your application reaching part 1 ICC-approval is the status that allows us to know your application is locked in a specific REC price. This fee is refundable after the 15-year contract has been fulfilled and any collateral drawdowns have been paid off during the contract. 

ABP application fee—This fee is non-refundable and is $20/kW AC. It is charged to the state program administrators for their participation in the program. 

If you’re not able to afford these fees upfront, we can submit you to the program and withhold the required fees from your SREC incentive check IF we have all the required Part 2 documents.

Q: What are my obligations for self submitting?

A: Provide all necessary documents. As long as we have all the required documents, we can proceed with the application process. Visit this link for more on contractual obligations. 

Q: What if I don’t have a document listed here?

A: If you’re not able to provide the Part 1 documents, please refer to the Part 2 guide so we can move forward with the application process. These are the most important documents in the entire program to confirm your system is energized and producing back to the grid.

We appreciate the opportunity to work with you.

Carbon Solutions Group Contact Information                                                       

Setup a call with us: ABP Stranded Customer Help

Phone: 888-237-SREC (7732)

Email: SREC@carbonsolutionsgroup.com