The Illinois On-Bill Energy Efficiency Loan Program

The Illinois Energy Loan Program is designed to encourage the installation of high efficiency measures to increase the energy efficiency of your home.

The Illinois Energy Efficiency Loan Program allows utility customers like you to:

  • Pay for improvements through a monthly loan charge on your utility bill
  • Decrease your energy consumption
  • Reduce your utility bills
  • Increase the comfort and value of your home
  • Improve the indoor air quality of your home
  • Make your home more resilient against the impacts of climate change, like extreme high and low temperatures and more pollutants in the air

The Illinois Energy Efficiency Loan Program is brought to you by these participating gas and electric utilities:

2022 Illinois Energy Efficiency Loan Program Utilities

How can I qualify?

To be eligible, you must meet the utility requirements outlined below for your utility provider. Click on your utility name below to view the requirements.

  • All borrowers must be listed on the utility bill, and everyone listed on the utility bill must be borrowers
  • For rental units, utility account must be in name of owner
  • Active and current utility account
  • Utility account cannot have been cutoff for non-payment in the past 12 months nor have a pending cutoff for non-payment
  • Utility account cannot be under a deferred payment agreement or have a pending deferred payment agreement
  • Utility requirements listed above must be met from the start of the application through loan closing, when a final utility eligibility check will be performed
  • The primary account holder must be the borrower
  • All borrowers must be listed on the utility account
  • For rental units, utility account must be in name of owner
  • Active utility account with no pending cutoff for non-payment
  • Utility requirements must be met from application through loan closing when a second and final utility eligibility check will be performed
  • The primary account holder must be the borrower
  • All borrowers must be listed on the utility bill
  • For rental units, utility account must be in name of owner
  • Active utility account that is not currently cut off for non-payment
  • Utility requirements must be met from application through loan closing when a second and final utility eligibility check will be performed
  • All borrowers must be listed on the utility bill and all parties listed on the utility bill must be borrowers
  • For rental units, utility bill must be in name of owner
  • Active utility account
  • Utility requirements must be met at the time of application
  • All borrowers must be listed on the utility bill and all parties listed on the utility bill must be borrowers
  • For rental units, utility bill must be in name of owner
  • Active utility account
  • Utility requirements must be met at the time of application

Help me find an approved contractor

You must use an authorized Slipstream Energy Finance Solutions (EFS) contractor to install the eligible improvements that make the most sense for your property. Our contractor search function is temporarily down. Please refer to these PDF contractor lists by participating utility in the meantime.

The Fine Print

Eligible Properties: Residential owner-occupied and tenant occupied, single-family (1-4 unit) homes, condominiums, and mobile homes

Loan Type: Unsecured loan (homeowner provides no collateral) added to your monthly utility bill

Loan Amounts: $500 - $20,000

Loan Rates: Fixed 8.74% interest rate for 1, 3, 5, 7*, and 10* years. *The loan amount must be greater than $8,000 to utilize a 7- or 10-year loan term. Interest rates subject to change, you will be subject to the current interest rate available at time of application.

Eligible Improvements: We hope to help you install high efficiency equipment and improvements in your home to increase its efficiency. All energy efficiency improvements installed must meet minimum efficiency requirements to be eligible for financing. See the types of improvements that may be financed by each participating utility in the Eligible Measures Chart.

Prepayment: No penalty, can pay in full at any time.

Other: No fees, points, or closing costs; can finance 100% of installation costs; quick approval process

Calculate your loan costs

Let us help you understand how much your loan will cost. Use our calculator for a quick estimate before you apply.

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Payment Information:

I'm ready to apply!

Make sure you reviewed the eligibility requirements above, then there are three ways to apply:

  • Apply online - Complete and submit the online application.

  • Print the application - Download and complete the PDF application. When completed, mail or fax your application to Slipstream EFS at the address below.

  • Request an application packet by mail - Call us at 877.923.2665 if you would like us to mail you an application packet.

No matter how you apply, you will have to submit additional documentation. After you apply online, you can upload this directly to your account file. You can also mail or fax your documentation to EFS at the address or fax number below.

Energy Finance Solutions
431 Catalyst Way
Madison, WI 53719

Fax: 608.249.5788

Frequently Asked Questions

The interest rate for the loan is 8.74% APR. This rate will be fixed throughout the term of the loan. Rates subject to change, customers are subject to the current rate at time of application.

You may choose a 1, 3, 5, 7 or 10 year terms. The 7 and 10 year terms are only available to loan amounts in excess of $8,000.

No, the loan is an unsecured loan.

No. Only pre-payment in full is allowed. Overpayments will be credited to your utility service account. If you pay more than the balance on the monthly bill, including the Energy Efficiency Loan charge, any overage will be applied as a general credit on their utility account. Your utility company will apply money to the electric and/or gas service first then the Energy Efficiency Loan Installment Amount.

Funds will be applied to your utility service first and the balance will be applied to your Loan installment. Partial payments can result in loss of utility service. Late fees may apply.

The loan installment will appear on your monthly utility bill under a separate line item. You will remit payment each month to your utility on your regular due date.

Depending on when the funds are disbursed to your contractor, remittance of your loan installments may begin on your next bill or the following. Please allow up to two (2) billing periods for the loan installment charge to appear on your utility bill before contacting your utility.

If you move or transfer title to the property where the work was performed, the full balance of the loan will be due with your last utility bill at that address.

You can visit EFS’s website @todo for a list of approved contractors eligible to perform work in your area.

If you apply online, a decision will be provided within moments of submitting your application. If EFS is unable to preapprove your application at that time, your application will be placed in a pending status, and a manual review will be completed within one (1) business day. You will receive notification of the decision by email and through accessing the online portal. If you submit a paper application, EFS will provide a decision within one (1) business day of receipt of the application to the email address listed on the application or by regular mail if no email address is listed.

You must meet certain utility eligibility standards in order to take advantage of the Illinois Energy Efficiency Loan ("Utility Eligibility Standards"). These Utility Eligibility Standards must be met when you apply for the loan and when the loan is to be closed and the contractor is to be paid. These Utility Eligibility Standards vary by utility and may include any combination of the following: my utility account number must be valid; my utility account must be active and current; my utility account cannot be cutoff for non-payment, have a pending cutoff notice, or have been cutoff for non-payment within the last 12 months; my utility account cannot be under a deferred payment agreement or have a pending deferred payment agreement; all utility account holders must be named on the loan; all persons on the loan must be named on the utility bill; the borrower is the primary utility account holder.

Once all conditions of the preapproval are received and accepted, your loan will go through a final review process for final approval. Once approved, you will receive notification by email that the documents are available for signing in the customer portal if you applied online. If you submitted a paper application you will be provided a set of documents by email or regular mail if no email address is provided. Alternatively, the contractor may be able to print a copy of the loan documents and present to you for signature. The work may commence when (i) all fully executed documents are received and accepted by EFS and (ii) the cancellation period has expired. Once the work is completed to your satisfaction, your contractor will ask you to sign a Certificate of Completion. Upon receipt of the signed Certificate of Completion, EFS will complete the second and final check of the Utility Eligibility Standards before funding the loan and remitting funds directly to your contractor. If you fail to meet the Utility Eligibility Standards at that time, your loan will not be closed and funded and your contractor will not be paid from the loan proceeds. You will remain responsible to pay your contractor for the work completed.

Payments for your loan are collected through your utility bill, please contact your utility to determine your payment options.

Owners of residential properties up to four units receiving utility service from a participating gas or electric utility are eligible for the loan. You must be the owner of the building but do not have to reside in the building to make eligible improvements. Eligible residences include single family homes, duplexes, mobile homes, condominiums or 2-4 unit residential buildings.

The primary account holder must apply for the loan, however, if your home is served by Ameren Illinois Company, People’s Gas Light and Coke Co., or North Shore Gas Company, all parties named on the utility account must apply for this loan. Additional borrowers can be added but they must also be listed on the utility bill and own the home. For rental properties, the property owner must apply for the loan and be named on the utility bill.

Contact EFS at 877-923-2665 to request a payoff quote for up to fifteen (15) days in the future. The date the payoff amount is received by your utility is the date that your loan will be considered paid off. Depending on when your loan payoff amount is received, you may still owe additional utility charges as well as any monthly loan payments that were billed to you before the payoff was quoted. Those amounts must also be paid in order to be considered paid in full. If you are mailing your payment, please add extra time to account for mailing in the payment. At the time of the payoff quote you will be provided with a payoff letter that must accompany your payment to the utility.