Solar power is transforming how people engage with green efforts and reimagine their communities as cleaner, more environmentally friendly settings. However, not everyone has the opportunity to benefit from a solar array on their own rooftop. There’s another option for you if you don’t own your home: community solar. Now, even those without the space, money, or ability to host solar panels on their own property can still take advantage of renewable energy. If you’ve never heard of community solar or shared solar before, now is a great time to explore these opportunities!
What Is Shared Solar?
A community solar project is a large solar installation that provides energy to multiple buildings and users. It’s typically a large ground-mount installation, sometimes called a solar farm, though it can sometimes be a large roof-mounted installation across multiple buildings (for example, an apartment complex). Residential installations are typically described in kilowatts, while community solar is typically described in megawatts.
Community solar projects usually operate on a subscription-based model: each household pays a monthly fee to claim a portion of the solar array. The community solar provider receives a credit from the local utility for the amount of power produced by the entire array, and then the solar provider divides this credit among all the people participating in the program, according to their share. That credit is then applied to a subscriber’s electric bill, effectively lowering it.
How Shared Solar Benefits Communities
When communities utilize these solar projects, everyone benefits. Some of the advantages of this approach to clean energy include:
- Allows solar access – Many people are not able to install solar panels on their homes for various reasons. They might be renters who don’t have permission to modify the property, or they may have a slate roof that can’t support a solar installation. Others might live in a shaded area that’s not conducive to solar. Community solar projects allow these people to utilize clean energy despite their circumstances.
- Reduces utility bills – Because participants earn credits for the clean power a community solar project generates, they still get to enjoy reduced bills according to their share of the panels or energy production.
- Removes maintenance responsibility – Most community solar projects don’t require individual subscribers to care for their share of the panels.
- Resists blackouts – Community solar projects with batteries can continue to provide safe energy to participants even if power goes out. However, it’s important to confirm if your community solar array has batteries or not, because if the power goes out and the array doesn’t have batteries, it will be shut down. Utility workers need to conduct infrastructure maintenance, and operational panels could cause dangerous shocks to line workers.
- Creates local jobs – Community solar projects require ongoing maintenance, both in terms of physical care and also administrative upkeep. This creates more jobs in the local area, supporting the neighborhood while bolstering the presence of clean energy.
These are just a few of the many advantages that community solar can bring to a community.
You may think that community solar is your only option because of the cost of an installation — but with Uprise, we make going solar accessible for everyone in DC. We offer a no-cost program for every DC homeowner with a qualifying roof (that means a roof with minimal shading, and shingles or a flat roof instead of slate).
What To Watch For
When you sign up for community solar, it’s important to check your contract. Be sure to watch for:
- No exit fees
- No termination fees
- No fees for signing up for the project
- A plain-language description of all the factors included in project participation
- Automatic compliance processes built into participation
Learn more about consumer protections in this helpful community solar article from the Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy.
Explore Community Solar Projects In Your Area
A community solar project is an accessible way to benefit from solar without installing an array directly on your property. At Uprise Solar, we value the positive impact solar has on communities, and we absolutely support shared solar. By gradually incorporating these environmentally friendly options in the DMV area and educating people on their use, we’re proud to be a part of the transition away from fossil fuels toward renewable energy for the future. We believe that everyone has the right to power their lives with solar, and we can help you explore your options. Contact Uprise to learn more.