Community Solar Subscriptions

Woman sitting on house with solar panels

Have you ever seen a big field of solar panels that didn't appear connected to a building? Often, these are community solar projects. They are also sometimes called solar farms, shared solar, solar gardens, or roofless solar. These solar farms generate electricity for several buildings. You can to subscribe to a community solar project and start getting a portion of the electricity it produces.

How does it work?

 

  1. Research Community Solar Projects. You can find community solar projects in your area through EnergySage, Solar United Neighbors, or Xcel Energy. Many community solar projects have waitlists. Make sure to check back often and be ready to sign up when new subscriptions open.
  2. Subscribe to a Community Solar Project: Once you find a community solar project that works for you, the next step is to subscribe. You will be assigned a share of the community solar project's electricity generation. It is like a part of the solar project being "yours." 
  3. Pay your Share and Get Credits: You pay your community solar provider your subscription fee. The fee is based on how large your share of the project is. In return, you get credits that you put toward your electric bill. The credits cover the part of your electric bill that your solar share generated. Most of the time, the credits you buy from your community solar provider are cheaper than the electricity you purchase from your utility.
  4. Use your Credits and Save: Apply your solar credits to your electricity bill. You'll immediate start to see the savings on your electrical bills. 

According to our friends at EnergySage, "One of the most important things to understand about community solar is that you don't receive electricity directly from the farm. Your current utility company will still deliver your electricity. You will most likely still receive a monthly electric bill. You will pay both your community solar provider for credits and your regular utility bill. But the total amount between the two will almost always be lower than what you'd pay without subscribing to community solar."

Find a Community Solar Project

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