Community Solar, sometimes called “shared solar,” is a solar energy sharing program that offers universal support of renewable energy to residents (homeowners and renters alike), businesses, non-profits, educational institutions, hospitals, faith-based organizations, and Municipalities without solar panel installation on properties. Customers subscribe to a local solar farm to support renewable power for their community, and in return, receive bill credits that help reduce utility charges. The program is a convenient, roofless solar solution that helps customers save on energy costs.

Solar Companies build and operate offsite, local solar farms.  The solar farms, and the solar energy generated, are supported by local residents, Municipalities, businesses, and other organizations that subscribe to a portion of the solar farm.  The power generated by the subscriber’s solar farm allocation is sent directly to the local power grid, which means that polluted power on the grid is replaced with renewable solar energy, helping reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. In return for supporting renewable power, subscribers receive solar bill credits for the solar generation in that month. The solar bill credits help reduce utility charges by between 10 and 50% of your electricity supply.

Community Solar subscription benefits include ease of access to supporting renewable power (no rooftop installations), environmental benefits, and energy savings. Community Solar offers a convenient and practical way to support locally produced, renewable power generation without solar panel installation on a residential or business property. There are no upfront costs, enrollment fees, or maintenance fees with Community Solar subscriptions.

While both programs have meaningful environmental impact, the most significant difference between rooftop solar and Community Solar is that with Community Solar, solar panels are not installed on a subscriber’s property and the power is not sent directly to a customer’s home. Instead, customers subscribe to an offsite solar farm — rather than solar energy being generated by and for one property, the output from Community Solar farms goes directly to the power grid. Key differentiators include convenience and upfront costs. There are no upfront costs or fees with Community Solar.

Yes, Community Solar can help you reduce your energy charges. When you subscribe, the solar power generated goes directly to the power grid. In return for your subscription and support of local renewable power, you receive solar bill credits applied to your utility bill. These credits help reduce your monthly utility supply charges between 5 and 50%.

Yes, Community Solar offers a way for your home or business to support local renewable solar power without installing any panels on your property. In return for your subscription, the solar bill credits you receive reduce your utility supply charges between 5 and 50%. Benefits of joining a Community Solar Farm include no panel installation, no enrollment costs, no green energy premium charges, no retail electric gimmick rates, and reduced utility charges thanks to the solar bill credits. Finding ways to support renewable energy and reducing dependence on fossil fuels is of growing importance as communities combat climate change.

Solar Power is energy generated by sunlight. The sun is a renewable energy source. Sunlight is converted to energy by solar cells on solar panels, through the photovoltaic effect. The energy captured by solar panels may deliver energy to an individual home or business in the event rooftop panels are installed, or directly to the power grid via a Solar Farm, as is the case with Community Solar.

Solar Energy production adds renewable energy to the electric grid. Renewable energy currently makes up 17% of energy generation in the United States. Meanwhile, nearly 83% of energy comes from fossil fuels. With Community Solar, customers can help be part of a shift to increase the use of renewable energy sources.