Learning that your solar installer is out of business can create plenty of questions. Who finishes the project? Who handles repairs? What happens to the warranty? Will you still receive your Illinois solar incentives?
The answers depend on where your project stopped and which responsibilities belonged to the company that closed. Some solar owners need a new installer. Others need an Approved Vendor to complete an Illinois Shines application. Many need both.
The good news is that a solar company closing does not automatically make your system or incentive application a lost cause. Illinois has resources for stranded customers, and experienced solar professionals may be able to help recover project records, complete unfinished work, restore production, or move an incentive application forward.
The company that sold your solar system may have filled several different roles.
An installer performs the physical construction and electrical work. A Designee may handle sales, installation, customer communication, or other project activities. An Approved Vendor submits and manages project applications through Illinois Shines.
One company can serve in more than one of these roles. Different companies may also divide the responsibilities.
This distinction matters because replacing an installer does not necessarily resolve an unfinished Illinois Shines application. Likewise, assigning a new Approved Vendor will not automatically repair a faulty inverter or complete electrical work.
Illinois Shines considers customers stranded when an Approved Vendor or Designee cannot or will not complete an installation or project application because it has ceased operations, limited operations, failed to meet program requirements, or been suspended.
Before contacting another solar power company, establish the current condition of the project. Most abandoned or orphaned solar systems fall into one of several situations.
You may have signed a contract, paid a deposit, arranged financing, or received preliminary designs without any equipment being installed.
Review the cancellation, refund, financing, and project completion terms in your agreements. Confirm whether permits were issued or equipment was purchased in your name before signing a replacement contract.
Panels may be on the roof while wiring, electrical upgrades, inspections, or utility interconnection remain unfinished.
A new contractor will generally need to inspect the work already completed. Do not assume the existing installation can simply be picked up where the previous company stopped. The new provider may need to verify permits, code compliance, equipment compatibility, workmanship, and the condition of the roof and electrical system.
A completed looking system is not always ready to operate. Municipal inspection, utility documentation, meter work, or Permission to Operate may still be missing.
Contact your utility and local permitting authority to determine which approvals have been completed. Ask for copies of any inspection records, certificates, interconnection documents, or outstanding correction notices connected to the property.
Your panels may be producing electricity even though the original installer is gone. In this situation, the biggest concerns are usually monitoring access, maintenance, equipment warranties, production problems, or future repairs.
An independent solar inspection can establish a performance baseline and identify any issues that should be addressed before they reduce your savings.
Your system may be installed and working while the application for Renewable Energy Credits remains unfinished or was never submitted.
Illinois Shines applications must be managed through an Approved Vendor. If the original Approved Vendor can no longer advance the project, another Approved Vendor may need to take over or submit a new application using the available project records.
When a solar company went out of business, access to its email accounts, customer portals, design software, and monitoring platforms may disappear quickly. Download and organize whatever is still available.
Helpful records include:
Illinois Shines specifically recommends collecting the previous contract, system plans, array photos, monitoring access, utility completion documents, and a recent utility bill when possible. These records can make it easier for a new Approved Vendor or installer to evaluate the project.
Missing documents do not necessarily prevent the project from moving forward. Municipal authorities, utilities, equipment manufacturers, Illinois Shines, and the new solar provider may be able to recover portions of the file.
Do not rely solely on what the former installer told you about your incentive application.
Use the Illinois Shines Project Lookup Tool to see whether an application exists and where it may be in the process. Project status can help determine whether you need a new application, additional documentation, a transfer to another Approved Vendor, or technical work before the application can continue.
The basic paths are straightforward.
If the system is installed and functioning but no application was submitted, you will need an Approved Vendor to prepare and submit the project.
If an application was started but not completed, another Approved Vendor may be able to take over the application.
If the installation is unfinished or the system is not functioning correctly, a qualified installer or Designee may need to complete or repair the system before the incentive process can be finished.
Illinois Shines maintains a shortlist of Approved Vendors and Designees willing to assist stranded customers. The companies on this list must meet heightened experience and consumer protection requirements. The Program Administrator can also help facilitate an application transfer after a new Approved Vendor agrees to accept the project..
An unfinished installation should be evaluated before a new contractor assumes responsibility for it.
The inspection may need to cover panel placement, racking, roof penetrations, flashing, wiring, conduit, grounding, inverter installation, disconnects, labeling, electrical panel work, monitoring equipment, and system production.
A detailed assessment helps the new provider answer three essential questions.
Avoid opening electrical equipment, climbing onto the roof, or attempting to troubleshoot energized components yourself. Solar equipment can remain electrically active whenever it is exposed to sunlight.
For systems that are already operating, production data can provide valuable clues. A sharp decrease in output, repeated inverter errors, missing panels in the monitoring portal, or extended communication failures may point to a component or connectivity issue.
ilumen Solar provides inspection, troubleshooting, repair, and maintenance support for systems installed by other companies throughout Chicagoland and Northern Illinois.
Solar projects often include several warranties, and they do not all disappear when the installer closes.
Manufacturer warranties may cover solar panels, inverters, optimizers, microinverters, batteries, or other equipment. These warranties are issued by the equipment manufacturer rather than the installer.
Workmanship warranties cover the quality of the installation. They may include roof penetrations, wiring, mounting, and other labor. These warranties are typically provided by the installer and can be much harder to enforce after an Illinois solar installer bankruptcy.
Production guarantees and service plans may also have been offered directly by the original solar company.
Contact each equipment manufacturer and provide the system address, serial numbers, installation date, and available purchase records. Ask whether the products were registered and whether the warranty can be transferred to a new servicing contractor.
A replacement installer is not automatically responsible for commitments made by the previous company. Illinois Shines advises customers to confirm exactly which repairs, maintenance, and warranty support a new provider will offer and to place those terms in the new agreement.
The installer, equipment owner, lender, and loan servicer may be separate companies. The solar company closing does not necessarily cancel a loan, lease, or power purchase agreement.
Continue reviewing statements and communicate with the financing company before changing or stopping payments. Ask the lender to explain:
Keep written records of each conversation. Solar financing terms vary considerably, so the contract and lender response will determine the available options. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau also accepts complaints involving solar loan billing, servicing, or potentially misleading financing practices.
Notify your homeowners or commercial property insurance provider that the original installer is no longer operating.
Insurance generally does not replace a contractor simply because the contractor closed. Coverage may still be relevant if the system has caused covered property damage or has been affected by a storm, fire, theft, or another insured event.
Confirm that the solar equipment is listed correctly on the policy and ask what documentation would be required if a future claim involves the panels, roof, battery, or related electrical components.
A customer whose application is unfinished has a different problem from someone whose incentive payment was received by an Approved Vendor but never passed through as promised.
If the application was not submitted or completed, the solution usually begins with reviewing the project status and finding a new Approved Vendor.
If Illinois Shines funds were paid to the Approved Vendor but some or all of the promised amount never reached you, file a complaint with the Illinois Shines Program Administrator.
The Solar Restitution Program currently provides potential financial relief in certain cases involving missing pass through REC incentive payments. Phase I covers qualifying customers who received none of a promised payment. Phase II launched on June 1, 2026 and expanded potential eligibility to qualifying customers who received only part of the promised amount.
Restitution is not automatic. The Program Administrator must investigate and close the complaint before a customer can submit a qualifying claim. Complaint and claim deadlines also apply, so customers should not postpone reporting a missing payment.
Taking over an orphaned project can require extensive document recovery, engineering review, inspections, repairs, application corrections, and communication with several agencies.
Illinois introduced the Stranded Customer REC Adder to encourage Approved Vendors to accept eligible stranded projects. The adder increases the REC price associated with qualifying projects that are successfully unstranded.
The customer does not submit the adder request directly. The Approved Vendor submits the request, and approval is handled through the Program Administrator and the Illinois Commerce Commission.
The adder may help offset some of the additional work involved, but it does not guarantee that the new provider will offer free services. Ask for a clear written explanation of consultation fees, repair costs, application fees, ongoing management fees, and any amount deducted from future incentive payments.
A business closure and a legal bankruptcy are not always the same thing.
If you receive a bankruptcy notice, read it carefully and keep it with your contract, payment records, and correspondence. The notice may include a case number, court information, and deadlines for creditors.
A customer who is owed a refund, incentive payment, deposit, or compensation for unfinished work may be considered a creditor. Depending on how the debt is listed and the type of bankruptcy, a proof of claim may need to be filed to preserve the right to participate in any available distribution. A proof of claim describes why the company owes money and generally includes supporting documentation.
Bankruptcy claims can become complicated quickly. Consider speaking with an attorney when significant money is involved, deadlines are approaching, or ownership of equipment and incentive funds is unclear.
Customers who believe deceptive or fraudulent practices occurred may also submit a consumer complaint to the Illinois Attorney General. The office accepts complaints involving purchases, home repair, and construction services, although it does not act as a private attorney for individual consumers.
A stranded solar customer in Illinois has already dealt with enough uncertainty. The replacement company should make the recovery process clearer, not add another layer of confusion.
Ask potential providers whether they:
Be cautious with anyone who promises an incentive payment before reviewing the project file or who recommends replacing major equipment without first diagnosing the existing system.
Finding out that your solar installer is out of business is frustrating, but it does not mean the investment has stopped working for you.
The right next step depends on the project. You may need an inspection, a repair, utility documentation, permit corrections, manufacturer support, a new Approved Vendor, or assistance recovering a delayed Illinois Shines incentive.
Start by gathering the records you have and confirming the status of both the physical system and the incentive application. From there, an experienced team can help turn an abandoned solar project into a complete, productive energy system.
ilumen Solar supports Illinois homeowners and businesses with solar system inspections, repairs, troubleshooting, stranded customer services, and Illinois Shines application management. Learn more about our SREC Management and stranded customer support services and take the next step toward getting your solar project back on track.
Smarter energy should still feel simple, even when the original plan changes.
