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Illinois Heat Pump Rebates 2026: ComEd Takes Up to $2,000 Off, Ameren $900, and the $8,000 State Rebate Isn't Open Yet
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Illinois Heat Pump Rebates 2026: ComEd Takes Up to $2,000 Off, Ameren $900, and the $8,000 State Rebate Isn't Open Yet

Ryan Cook•

In 2026, ComEd takes up to $900, $1,400, $1,500 or $2,000 off a qualifying ducted heat pump, depending on its size and efficiency tier, plus $75 if a smart thermostat goes in with it. Ameren Illinois takes $900 off a ducted heat pump and $630 off a ductless mini-split. Both are instant discounts applied through your contractor, not checks you mail away for. The federal 25C tax credit ended for anything placed in service after December 31, 2025, and Illinois' income-qualified HEAR rebate, the one behind the $8,000 headlines, still isn't taking applications.

Why the numbers online don't match

I checked the pages ranking for Illinois heat pump rebates in October 2026. ComEd's rebate showed up as $500, $1,500, $2,000 and $2,075 depending on the site. Ameren's showed up as $600 and $900.

Most of those numbers aren't made up. Each one is a single row from a bigger table. ComEd pays by tier and by size, so $500 is its smallest mini-split discount and $2,075 is its top ducted tier plus the $75 thermostat. The $600 Ameren figure doesn't match anything on Ameren's current page. The fix is to stop asking "how much is the rebate" and start asking "which row am I in." Here are the rows.

Key facts: Illinois heat pump incentives, fall 2026

Incentive Amount Status / where it comes from
ComEd ducted air-source heat pump $900 / $1,400 (Tier 1) or $1,500 / $2,000 (Tier 2), under / at least 2.5 heating tons Instant discount, ComEd heat pump-trained contractor, current ComEd page
ComEd ductless mini-split $500 under 1.5 tons, $1,000 at 1.5 tons and up Same
ComEd geothermal Up to $6,000 per home Pre-approval required
ComEd heat pump water heater Up to $750 Instant discount
ComEd smart thermostat with a heat pump $75 Installed by the heat pump contractor
Ameren Illinois ducted air-source heat pump $900 (under 65,000 Btu) Instant Incentives, Ameren electric customers, limit 2 per account
Ameren Illinois ductless mini-split $630 Same
Ameren Illinois heat pump water heater $1,150 Same
Ameren Illinois geothermal $1,080 to $4,320 by size, plus $500 with a desuperheater June 2026 fact sheet (Ameren's web page still shows an older $1,350 to $5,400 range)
Ameren Illinois smart thermostat $115 Limit 1 per account
Federal 25C tax credit $0 for property placed in service after Dec 31, 2025 IRS guidance on the July 4, 2025 law
Illinois HEAR / HOMES Up to $8,000 for a heat pump under federal rules Not open; HEAR application not yet processed by USDOE (Illinois EPA, Oct 2026)

ComEd: the tier and the tonnage decide your discount

ComEd's table for ducted heat pumps has four rows, and the difference between the top and bottom is $1,100.

ComEd ducted heat pump Under 2.5 heating tons 2.5 heating tons and up Efficiency minimum
Tier 1 Up to $900 Up to $1,400 15.2 SEER2, 9.4 EER2, 8.1 HSPF2
Tier 2 Up to $1,500 Up to $2,000 17 SEER2, 9.4 EER2, 8.5 HSPF2

The tonnage is the part people miss. ComEd sizes it on heating capacity only: the unit's heating Btu per hour divided by 12,000. A heat pump rated for 36,000 Btu of heat is a 3-ton unit, so it lands in the bigger column. In Tier 2 that's $2,000. The same size in Tier 1 is $1,400.

That $600 gap is worth a question when you get the quote. A Tier 2 unit costs more up front, and the bigger discount offsets part of that. Ask the contractor to quote both and show you the AHRI certificate that proves the ratings.

A few rules matter. The installer has to be a ComEd heat pump-trained contractor, and ComEd says self-installation doesn't qualify. The discount is applied right on the invoice, so there's no rebate form to chase. ComEd also excludes equipment using refrigerants above a global-warming limit, which covers R-410A, but its page says an EPA rule allows sell-through of remaining R-410A equipment effective July 27, 2026, and that the equipment "will be eligible for program incentives at that time." If your quote is an older R-410A unit, ask about it directly.

For homes without ductwork, ComEd takes $500 off a ductless mini-split under 1.5 tons and $1,000 at 1.5 tons and up. Geothermal can get up to $6,000 per home, but it needs pre-approval and a geothermal-certified service provider. A heat pump water heater gets up to $750.

Ameren Illinois: flat discounts, and a better water heater deal

Ameren keeps it simpler. A ducted air-source heat pump that clears 15.2 SEER2 and 8.1 HSPF2 gets $900, whether it's a 2-ton unit in Champaign or a 5-ton unit in a big Bloomington house, as long as it's under Ameren's 65,000 Btu limit. A ductless mini-split at 16 SEER2 and 8.55 HSPF2 gets $630. Both are limited to two per account.

Where Ameren beats ComEd is the water heater. Its $1,150 heat pump water heater discount is $400 more than ComEd's. Geothermal runs $1,080 to $4,320 depending on the system's size, according to Ameren's June 2026 fact sheet, with another $500 if the system includes a desuperheater, a part that uses waste heat to warm your water. Ameren's web page still shows an older $1,350 to $5,400 range, so confirm the current figure with your contractor.

Two catches. You have to be an Ameren Illinois electric customer, so a home with Ameren gas and electricity from a co-op or a city utility doesn't qualify. And the $115 smart thermostat discount requires your main heat to come from Ameren-delivered gas or electricity. Ameren says outright that propane heat doesn't qualify.

The discounts flow through Ameren's Instant Incentives program, which runs through participating distributors: your contractor gets the discount when buying the equipment and passes it on to you. Ask your contractor whether they buy from one. If your income qualifies, Ameren also offers a free home energy assessment that it says can lead to "an upgrade of your heating and cooling system to energy-efficient air source heat pumps." That path is worth checking before you pay for anything.

If your electricity comes from a city utility, like Springfield's or Naperville's, or from a rural co-op, neither ComEd's nor Ameren's program applies. Check with your own utility.

What a whole-house switch could get you

Here's how the discounts add up on two common projects, using the current published amounts. Every one assumes the equipment qualifies and the contractor is in the program.

Project ComEd (e.g. Joliet, Rockford) Ameren Illinois (e.g. Peoria, Decatur)
3-ton ducted heat pump replacing furnace + AC, top tier, with smart thermostat $2,000 + $75 = $2,075 $900 + $115 = $1,015
Add a heat pump water heater + $750 = $2,825 + $1,150 = $2,165
One ductless mini-split for an addition, 1.5 tons or more $1,000 $630

ComEd pays more for a big, efficient system. Ameren pays more for the water heater. On either side, the discount covers a slice of the job, not most of it, so treat it as a reason to pick the more efficient unit rather than the reason to switch.

Whether the switch saves you money on the heating bill is a separate question, and the answer depends heavily on your gas utility. I ran that math in heat pump vs. gas furnace costs in Illinois and, for homes out past the gas mains, heat pump vs. propane. The short version: against propane or electric baseboard, a heat pump wins easily. Against Nicor gas, it's close.

The federal credit is gone

From 2023 through 2025, the federal 25C credit covered 30 percent of a heat pump's cost, up to $2,000 a year. The federal law signed July 4, 2025 set its end date. The IRS says the credit "will not be allowed for any property placed in service after December 31, 2025."

That means a heat pump installed in 2026 earns no federal credit, no matter when you signed. If a quote still lists one, ask the contractor to show you the IRS rule. I'd rather you hear that from me now than from your tax preparer in April.

HEAR and HOMES: real money, not open yet

This is where the $8,000 number comes from. Under the federal rules, the Home Electrification and Appliance Rebate program, HEAR, can pay up to $8,000 for a heat pump and up to $1,750 for a heat pump water heater. The Department of Energy allocated $263 million to the Illinois EPA for HEAR and its sister program, HOMES.

None of it is available yet. As of October 2026, the Illinois EPA says its HEAR application "has not yet been processed by USDOE," and the HOMES pilot, planned with two local agencies, is still waiting on federal approval. When HEAR does open, Illinois plans to send all of the money at first to households earning under 80 percent of the area median income.

The line that matters most: Illinois says it does not intend to offer retroactive rebates. A heat pump you install this winter can't claim HEAR later. My take is simple. If your furnace is dying, don't freeze waiting on a program with no start date. Take the utility discount. If your system works and your income might qualify, get on the Illinois EPA's update list and hold off.

Where solar fits

A heat pump moves your heating bill from the gas company to the electric company. For a house that burns about 600 therms of gas a year, I estimate that adds roughly 5,600 to 6,700 kWh a year, nearly all of it between November and March. That's when Illinois panels make the least, as I charted in how solar production drops in fall and winter.

On ComEd, an all-electric home may also qualify for the cheaper electric space heat delivery class, which lowers the delivery charge on every kilowatt-hour in the house. With a $0-down lease, the power the panels make is billed at a predictable rate as low as $0.10 per kWh, with the full 25-year schedule set in your contract before you sign and a battery included. That can cover a real share of a bigger electric bill, and solar lease cost per month in Illinois walks through it. If you'd rather own, the utility's $300 per kW solar rebate is separate from any heat pump discount. If money is tight, start with Illinois Solar for All and Illinois electric bill help.

Planning a heat pump, solar, or both? Send me a recent gas bill and a recent ComEd or Ameren bill, and I'll show you which discount row you're in and what an all-electric home would do to your year. Call (618) 217-2001, try the savings calculator, or get in touch here. Current rates are on the ComEd rates and Ameren rates pages.

Sources

Frequently Asked Questions

The money that's actually available in 2026 comes from your electric utility. ComEd lists instant discounts of up to $900, $1,400, $1,500 or $2,000 on a qualifying ducted air-source heat pump, depending on its size and efficiency tier, $500 or $1,000 off a ductless mini-split, up to $6,000 per home for geothermal, and up to $750 off a heat pump water heater. Ameren Illinois takes $900 off a ducted heat pump, $630 off a ductless unit, $1,150 off a heat pump water heater, and $1,080 to $4,320 off geothermal, depending on size. Both utilities apply most of these as instant discounts through the contractor rather than mail-in rebates, so the contractor has to be in the program. The federal 25C tax credit ended for anything placed in service after December 31, 2025. Illinois' federally funded HEAR and HOMES rebates still weren't taking applications when I checked in October 2026, and the Illinois EPA says they won't be paid retroactively.
For a ducted air-source heat pump, ComEd's 2026 instant discount is listed at up to $900, $1,400, $1,500 or $2,000. Two things decide which one you get. The first is efficiency. Tier 1 needs at least 15.2 SEER2 and 8.1 HSPF2, and Tier 2 needs at least 17 SEER2 and 8.5 HSPF2. The second is size, measured in heating tons, which is the unit's heating capacity in Btu per hour divided by 12,000. Under 2.5 tons pays $900 in Tier 1 or $1,500 in Tier 2. At 2.5 tons and up it's $1,400 or $2,000. ComEd adds $75 if the same contractor installs an ENERGY STAR smart thermostat with it, which is where the $2,075 figure on some websites comes from. The installer has to be a ComEd heat pump-trained contractor, self-installs don't qualify, and the discount shows up directly on the invoice. There's no form for you to mail in.
Ameren Illinois lists a flat $900 instant discount on a ducted air-source heat pump rated at least 15.2 SEER2 and 8.1 HSPF2, under 65,000 Btu of capacity, and $630 on a ductless mini-split rated at least 16 SEER2 and 8.55 HSPF2. Each is limited to two per residential account, and you have to be an Ameren Illinois electric customer. Ameren also takes $1,150 off a heat pump water heater, $1,080 to $4,320 off a geothermal system depending on size, per its June 2026 fact sheet, plus $500 more with a desuperheater, and $115 off a smart thermostat. Unlike ComEd, Ameren doesn't pay more for a bigger or more efficient air-source unit once it clears the minimum. The discounts run through Ameren's Instant Incentives program, so ask your contractor whether they buy from a participating distributor. Income-qualified homeowners can apply for a free home energy assessment, which Ameren says could lead to a heat pump upgrade.
No. The federal energy efficient home improvement credit, section 25C, ended for any property placed in service after December 31, 2025. From 2023 through 2025 it covered 30 percent of a qualifying heat pump, up to $2,000 a year. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, signed July 4, 2025, set that end date, and the IRS confirmed it in its August 2025 guidance on the law. That means a heat pump installed in Illinois in 2026 earns no federal tax credit, no matter when you signed the contract or paid for it. If a quote still shows a 30 percent federal credit, ask the contractor to point to the current IRS rule before you count it. The rebates that remain are the utility discounts from ComEd and Ameren Illinois, plus the federally funded HEAR and HOMES rebates that Illinois plans to run but hasn't opened yet.
Not yet. The U.S. Department of Energy allocated $263 million to the Illinois EPA for the two federal home energy rebate programs, HEAR and HOMES. As of October 2026, the Illinois EPA says its HEAR application has not yet been processed by the Department of Energy. The HOMES pilot, planned with two local agencies, is also waiting on federal approval. Under the federal rules, HEAR can pay up to $8,000 toward a heat pump for heating and cooling and up to $1,750 toward a heat pump water heater. Illinois plans to send all of the rebate money at first to households earning less than 80 percent of the area median income. The state also says it won't pay rebates retroactively, so a heat pump installed today can't claim HEAR later. If your furnace still works and you might qualify, sign up for the Illinois EPA's update list and wait. If it's failing, use the utility discount now.

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Illinois Part 466 and Ameren's own guide set real deadlines — 15 business days for a Level 1 witness test.Solar Won't Zero Out Your Illinois Electric Bill — the State's Own Example Shows WhySolar offsets the supply half of your Illinois bill, not the delivery half. The state's own net metering example shows which kilowatt-hours you still pay for.Does Illinois Homeowners Insurance Cover Solar Panels? The $14,000 vs $4,000 Roof ClauseIllinois insurers are moving roofs to actual cash value. The state's own example pays $14,000 on one roof and $4,000 on another. Here's what that does to solar.Illinois Will Pay About $4,050 Toward a Home Battery — Here's What ComEd and Ameren Want in ReturnComEd and Ameren both pay $300 per kWh toward home battery storage in Illinois. The rebate is real — but each utility attaches conditions almost nobody mentions.Your Illinois HOA Can't Ban Solar — and It Has 30 Days to Answer YouIllinois law bars an HOA from prohibiting solar panels, caps design rules at a 10% production loss, and gives boards 30 days to process your application.ComEd Now Charges Four Different Prices a Day — Who Wins on Time-of-Day PricingComEd's Time-of-Day pricing splits the day into four price windows, cheapest overnight. Who actually saves, who pays more, and how solar fits in.Illinois Will Help Churches, Food Pantries, and Libraries Go Solar — Applications Open August 3Illinois Solar for All opens its Non-Profit and Public Facilities window August 3, 2026. Who qualifies, what it costs, and why the date matters.Your Illinois Electric Rate Drops October 1 — Why Your Bill Won't Drop as MuchIllinois summer supply rates expire September 30. Ameren's fell 31% last October — but supply is only half your bill. Here's what actually drops.Who Fixes Your Solar Panels in Illinois When Something Breaks?Who actually fixes solar panels in Illinois? Maintenance costs, what a lease covers, and what to do if your installer stopped answering the phone.Will Your Illinois Electric Bill Go Back Down? PJM Just Locked In Prices Through 2029PJM's July 2026 capacity auction cleared at $325/MW-day for 2028-29 — the third straight auction at the price cap. Why your Illinois bill isn't dropping soon.Illinois Logged 832 Solar Complaints in 2025 and Has Paid $473,000 Back to Burned Customers — What Actually Went Wrong, and Who Gets PaidIllinois logged 832 solar complaints in 2025, and its restitution fund has paid 170 customers nearly $473,000. Here's what goes wrong and who gets paid.Do You Need a New Roof Before Solar in Illinois? (2026 Roof-Age Rules)Old roof, new panels? Pulling solar off for a roof job runs an estimated $2,800-$6,000. The Illinois roof-age rule, and how to sequence both jobs to pay once.Can You Rent Solar Panels in Illinois? What Actually Exists in 2026There's no such thing as renting solar panels in Illinois. But there is Community Solar — a state-vetted subscription that gets you bill credits without any equipment. Here's how it actually works.New Illinois Laws: A Family of Four Earning $99,000 Can Now Get Help With Their Electric BillPritzker signed HB 4456 and HB 5524 on July 9. One raises energy-assistance income limits to 300% of poverty. The other itemizes every charge on your bill.Do Solar Panels Increase Your Property Taxes in Illinois? (2026)Adding solar raises your home's value — so will your property taxes jump too? In Illinois, no. The state's special solar assessment keeps that value off your tax bill.New Illinois Solar for All Income Limits (2026): $97,200 for a Cook County Family of FourIllinois Solar for All raised its income limits on June 1, 2026. A family of four can earn $97,200 in Cook County and still qualify. Here are the county numbers.Will Illinois Have Rolling Blackouts? What ComEd's 'Critical Level' Alerts Mean (2026)ComEd told parts of Chicagoland the grid hit a 'critical level' during the July heat wave. Here's the honest answer on rolling blackout risk in Illinois — and what you can control.Freedom Forever Filed for Bankruptcy — What Illinois Solar Customers Should Do NowFreedom Forever filed Chapter 11 in April 2026. If your Illinois solar system is installed, unfinished, or under quote — here's exactly what to do next.ComEd & Ameren Want Another Rate Hike — CUB Found $1 Billion in Questionable SpendingComEd filed a $15.3B grid plan and Ameren wants millions more — CUB found over $1 billion in questionable spending. What the next IL rate hikes mean for you.What Solar Panels Really Cost in Illinois in 2026 (Honest Numbers, No Lead-Selling)What solar panels actually cost in Illinois in 2026 — real per-watt and per-system numbers, what changed this year, and why we don't sell your info to five callers.Illinois Electric Rates Keep Climbing — Does Solar Finally Make Sense in 2026?Ameren and ComEd rates are up ~90% in five years and still climbing. Here's how to see what you're on track to overpay — and whether solar finally makes sense.Illinois Net Metering Changed in 2025 — What It Costs You and How to Protect Your SavingsIllinois ended full retail net metering on Jan 1, 2025. Here's what the switch to net billing actually costs solar owners — and how to protect your savings.The 30% Solar Tax Credit Ended — Here's How Illinois Homeowners Still Get It in 2026The 30% federal tax credit ended for homeowner-owned systems on Dec 31, 2025. Here's how Illinois homeowners can still capture federal solar value in 2026.How Much Does a Solar Lease Cost Per Month in Illinois? (2026)What does a solar lease actually cost per month in Illinois? Real 2026 numbers, what's included, and how a predictable lease rate compares to a rising utility bill.Ameren vs ComEd 2026: Which Costs More Per kWh? (ComEd Runs ~1.5¢ Higher)ComEd averages ~17¢/kWh, Ameren Illinois ~15.5¢/kWh. See the full 2026 breakdown: supply charges, delivery fees, summer spikes, and how much it costs per month.Ameren Rate Increase 2026: Summer Rate Ends — Oct 1 Price to Compare Is 10.441¢ (ComEd 10.103¢)Updated September 30, 2026: the Ameren rate increase put the summer Price to Compare at 11.326¢/kWh (ComEd 10.399¢) through September 30; from October 1 it is 10.441¢ (ComEd 10.103¢). See the average Illinois electric rate now, why bills jumped June 1, and what changed October 1.The Iran War Is Sending Oil Prices Through the Roof — Will Your Illinois Electric Bill Follow?Oil is at $112/barrel after the Strait of Hormuz blockade. Here's how the Iran conflict could push Illinois electricity rates even higher — and what you can do now.Why Your Ameren Bill Keeps Going Up (and What MISO Has to Do With It)Ameren bills jumped 18-22% in summer 2025 and rose again June 1, 2026. Here's why MISO capacity auctions are driving your rates up and what you can do about it.The Real Cost of Solar Panels in Illinois: 2026 BreakdownWhat do solar panels actually cost in Illinois in 2026? Real numbers for cash purchase, lease, and Solar for All — from an installer who gets prices below the state average.Selling a House With Leased Solar Panels in Illinois (2026 Guide)Selling a house with leased solar panels in Illinois? Here's how the lease transfer works, what buyers actually think, and why it's not the problem most people expect — owned systems too.Solar Lease vs Buying Panels: I Did the Math for IllinoisShould you lease or buy solar panels in Illinois? I broke down the real numbers for both paths using current 2026 prices, incentives, and Ameren/ComEd rates.Data Centers = 70% of Illinois's Rate Spike (Here's What It Costs You)Data centers drove 70% of Illinois's capacity-cost spike in 2026. See the PJM/MISO mechanism, the per-household cost impact, and what to do to protect your bill.ComEd Rate Increase 2026: Oct 1 Supply Drops to 10.103¢, but Delivery Didn'tUpdated Oct 2026: ComEd's 2026 rate increase put the Price to Compare at 10.399¢/kWh through September 30; from October 1 it is 10.103¢/kWh. What changed June 1, what reset October 1, the ICC delivery increases that didn't reset, and your all-in cost per kWh.Illinois Electricity Rates Have Nearly Doubled Since 2021 — Here's What That Means for Your BillIllinois electricity rates have surged 90%+ since 2021. Here's what's driving the increases, what to expect next, and how to protect your household.Illinois Solar Incentives 2026: 7 Programs Worth $12,000-$18,000+Illinois solar incentives 2026: Illinois Shines RECs, the new $20/REC customer-owned adder, $300/kW DG rebate, battery rebate, net metering, and property tax exemption — worth $12,000-$18,000+ on an owned system. Plus no-cost Solar for All for income-eligible households.Solar Battery Backup in Illinois — What It Actually Powers and Whether It's Worth ItWhat does a solar battery actually run during an outage? How much does it cost with the $300/kWh rebate? Here's the honest breakdown for Illinois homeowners.
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