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Powering Illinois with Solar Energy: Incentives, Efficiency, and Environmental Impact

Solar electric systems, also known as photovoltaic (PV) systems, are quickly gaining popularity in Illinois due to wide-ranging federal and state incentives and their many benefits. Composed of one or more PV or solar panels, combined with an inverter, circuits, components, connections, and other mechanical hardware, these systems are carefully designed to generate electricity by absorbing sunlight from their panels and are often connected directly to existing electrical grids. There are various types of solar panels available on the market, with the monocrystalline type being the most efficient. Solar energy produces energy measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh) and is often integrated into a group of PV modules or solar panels known as a PV array, which are mounted to a surface and wired together. A megawatt (MW) is a unit of power that equals one million watts and is often used as an indicator of electrical generation capacity. Furthermore, since it is good for both the environment and business, transitioning to renewable energy like solar saves money in the long run.

Interested in learning more about the power of solar energy? Download our FREE Solar 101: How it Works Fact Sheet today.