How community solar works
Households who own or rent their homes can use solar energy without having to buy or install special equipment.
The "community" in community solar
Solar panels generate electricity from sunlight. Community solar projects, sometimes called "solar farms," are a large collection of solar panels that generate electricity for a community. Where available, both renters and homeowners can access community solar without installing any equipment of their own.
How households use community solar
Households in the community "subscribe" to some of the electricity produced by a community solar project. The community solar subscriber gets credit on their utility bill for the electricity generated by their subscription each month.
Saving money with community solar subscriptions
Community solar subscriptions through the Energy Connector are available to income-qualified and verified households. The cost to buy the electricity generated by the community solar subscription is less than electricity from the regular utility, so these households save money. Subscriptions through the Energy Connector come with at least a 20% discount on the electricity generated from community solar.
Solar panels make electricity from sunlight
Image 1 - Typical solar projects
A community solar project is a large collection of solar panels. Community solar projects can be located anywhere in your community, and are run by subscription managers.
Image 2 - Community solar projects
Community solar delivers electricity directly to the local utility grid, not to just a single house or building
Image 3 - How community solar projects work
Through the Energy Connector, households (homeowners and renters) can save money on their electricity bill by subscribing to some of the electricity generated by community solar.
Image 4 - Community solar helps households save money
Through the Energy Connector, community solar subscribers purchase electricity from the community solar project each month at a discounted rate, providing bill savings
Image 5 - Subscribers receive monthly bill credits
A few important details
Electricity generation is measured in kilowatt hours (kWh). When you buy electricity from the utility, you pay per kWh. If you pay $0.10 per kWh for electricity from your utility, the kWh from community solar project through the Connector will be no more than $0.08, saving 20% on electricity generation costs.
Electricity generation is just one part of your utility bill. There also may be costs for moving electricity on the grid (often called transmission and distribution fees), as well as costs for natural gas or fuel oil used for heating. Community solar does not discount those costs. That said, the kWh of electricity you buy is usually the most expensive part of your electric bill, and community solar through the Connector does reduce those costs.
Additionally, solar farms do not usually generate the same amount of electricity all year long. They typically produce more electricity during the long hours of sunlight in summer than the shorter days of winter, so the amount of credit you receive for the electricity from your community solar subscription may also be more in the summer than winter. It is possible to “bank” those summer credits. For example, your community solar subscription may produce more kWh in the summer than you use, which means you can save up a bank of those unused credits to be applied in the winter months when it produces less.
Which states use the Energy Connector?
If you live in Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Rhode Island, or Washington D.C., and qualify for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), you may be able to receive a cost saving community-solar subscription through the Connector. Your local LIHEAP agency can give you more information during your yearly intake.
Where else can I get community solar?
The states listed below have statewide community solar policies in place, meaning community solar subscriptions are likely to be more widely available. Some of these states (noted) require some of the community solar subscriptions go only to income-qualified households (typically called "LMI household enrollment"). Although not all these states are covered by the Connector, you may be able to receive a cost saving community-solar subscription directly from a community solar subscription manager in that state. Reach out to your utility to see if they have community solar and lower cost community-solar subscriptions available.
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Illinois
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- New Hampshire
- New Mexico
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Virginia
- Washington
- Nevada
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
State not listed?
Community solar may be available through your utility even if there is no state-wide policy. Call your utility to ask about community solar. Additionally, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Solar For All program has awarded grants to several states that are developing new community solar programs or expanding existing programs. See the list below of states that have been awarded Solar For All grants and plan to use the funds for community solar programs either through a grant specific to the state or part of a multi-state grant. The Solar For All webpage lists the organizations awarded grants in each state.
- Alaska
- Arkansas
- Colorado
- Hawaii
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- South Carolina
- Tennessee
- Vermont
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Alabama
- Arizona
- California
- Connecticut
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Kansas
- Louisiana
- Maryland
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- New Hampshire
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- Washington