Illinois homeowners should take a shine to rooftop solar panels. It will help the climate and lower energy costs.

Installing rooftop solar panels is a major way to keep electricity costs down, writes state Rep. Daniel Didech, D-Buffalo Grove. (stock.adobe.com)

We’re in the first week of 2024, and I’m resolved to encourage my fellow Illinois homeowners — landlords, too — to commit to installing rooftop solar panels this year, wherever possible, and taking advantage of the available incentives to do so.

According to the Energy Information Administration’s 2020 data, only 5% of U.S. homes enjoy the benefits of solar panels, compared with 20% in Germany and 30% in Australia. Researchers believe one major reason fewer Americans opt out of installing solar panels is because comparatively, our country has a historically low cost of electricity.