Solar Companies in Cleveland, Ohio

What Cleveland homeowners actually pay for power

Cleveland homeowners in Cuyahoga County, including Parma, Lakewood, Strongsville, Westlake and Euclid, are typically served by The Illuminating Company, part of FirstEnergy. The Illuminating Company customers pay about 19.5¢ per kilowatt-hour all-in — supply plus delivery plus riders, not the supply rate alone. That number is the reason most Cleveland homeowners start comparing solar: every kilowatt-hour your roof produces is one you stop buying at that price.

See the full breakdown on our The Illuminating Company rate page, read why The Illuminating Company bills are so high, or compare every utility in the state on Ohio electric rates.

Lake Erie weather and solar

Northeast Ohio is cloudier than the rest of the state in winter, but summers are long and bright, and output is measured over a year. Snow slides off tilted panels on its own. Lake-effect storms also take lines down, which is where a battery earns its keep.

Cleveland homes

Much of Cleveland’s housing is older, with steep roofs, dormers and mature trees. Suburbs like Strongsville, Westlake and North Olmsted have newer homes with simpler roofs. We check shade and roof age before quoting.

Why Ohio rates keep climbing

Ohio utilities buy the power for their standard offer through PJM, the regional grid operator. PJM’s capacity auction cleared at a record price for 2025/26 and at its new price cap for 2026/27, and that cost passes through to The Illuminating Company customers. Transmission riders added more in 2026. None of it is something The Illuminating Company decides on its own, and none of it is likely to reverse soon.

Solar changes the arithmetic because it fixes part of your cost. A power purchase agreement in Cleveland means no upfront payment: a licensed partner installs and owns the system, you buy the power it produces at a set rate, and you keep buying the rest from The Illuminating Company as normal.

How Ohio credits the power you send back

Ohio net metering credits exported power at the energy (generation) part of your utility’s standard offer, not the full retail rate, and the credit carries forward on your bill. That makes Ohio a use-it-yourself state: the power your panels make is worth the most when your home uses it as it is produced. That is why we size Ohio systems to your actual usage rather than oversizing, and why a battery that stores midday solar for the evening earns more here than in a full-retail state. How Ohio net metering works →

Energy community status in Cuyahoga County

Cuyahoga County qualifies only in part on Baker Tilly’s 2026–27 IRA energy-community map: a small number of lakefront tracts tied to closed coal plants qualify, while most of the county does not. For a lease or PPA in a qualifying tract, that can add a bonus to the federal credit the system owner claims. We check it by address.

What solar costs in Cleveland

There is no single answer, and any site giving you one without seeing your roof is guessing. What decides it is your usage, your roof’s orientation, shading and condition, and the 19.5¢ rate you pay The Illuminating Company today. If your roof does not work, we say so on the first call rather than after you sign.

The federal residential purchase credit ended for systems bought after December 31, 2025, and Ohio has no state solar tax credit. What carries the economics in Ohio is the rate you avoid buying from your utility. For a lease or PPA, the commercial clean-energy credit stays with the system owner, which is what makes $0 down possible.

Common questions from Cleveland homeowners

Who is my electric utility in Cleveland?

Most of Cuyahoga County is served by The Illuminating Company. Cleveland Public Power serves parts of the city itself, and its rules differ, so we check your address. Your bill names your utility at the top; if it does not match, call us at (832) 263-8055 and we will check your address against the service map.

Does solar still make sense now that the federal credit ended?

For a lease or PPA, yes — the credit belongs to the system owner, not you, and that is what makes $0 down possible. For a purchase, the math changed in 2026 and we will show you the honest version.

What happens if I sell my house?

A lease or PPA transfers to the buyer. The new owner takes over the same rate, and the paperwork is handled for you.

How long does an install take in Cleveland?

Installation is typically one to three days. Permits with your city or township and interconnection with The Illuminating Company take longer, and both are handled for you.