Platform connects you to community solar subscriptions

By Virginia Rutter on March 13, 2019
In addition to the basics about each project, you can also see more detailed information on how to cancel, transfer options, and community benefits.

Community solar allows you to “go solar” even if you don’t have a roof or ground where you can have panels installed. Community solar is an important tool to expand access to solar energy to anyone with an electricity bill, including low-to-moderate income residents who may find rooftop solar inaccessible to them.

Community solar is spreading throughout the country. It’s currently available in seventeen states and the District of Columbia, with more states introducing legislation this year. We believe community solar will play a critical role nationwide in delivering energy savings and connecting more and more people to local solar power. For that to happen, consumers need to understand what it is, how it works, and how they can participate. As community solar spreads, Solar United Neighbors is taking on that education challenge.

You can select your state and your utility provider to see what’s available in your area as well as project-specific information on cost, terms, and other important details about each project.

The concept of community solar is simple. Buy clean solar energy from an operator of a shared array somewhere near you and then get credits for that energy applied to your utility electricity bill. In practice though, state rules for these programs vary widely, and the types of offerings, cost, terms, and other considerations do too. To fill this gap in marketplace information, we launched a community solar subscription platform. As a non-profit we are uniquely positioned to provide neutral, consumer-friendly help with community solar. We do this through simple educational materials on how the program works, where it’s available, and who is eligible.

Our community solar subscription platform is currently operating in Maryland and Minnesota and will be coming soon to the District of Columbia and other areas. As we grow the site and add new projects, we’ll keep that same non-profit, neutral focus, promoting community solar broadly but not any particular project or offering. The information provided is intended to support consumers so they can decide for themselves.

If you know of a project in your area that isn’t listed, or if you’re a developer who would like to add your projects to our platform, please reach out to: info@solarunitedneighbors.org.