Community solar United States

Community solar refers to local solar facilities shared by multiple community subscribers who receive credit on their electricity bills for their share of the power produced.. Community solar refers to local solar facilities shared by multiple community subscribers who receive credit on their electricity bills for their share of the power produced.. Community solar is a model of buying electricity that allows you to subscribe to power produced at a large solar array or farm located at another location in your utility's service area.. Through community solar, individuals subscribe to a portion of a nearby solar garden and get credits on their energy bill for the electricity it produces.. Community solar typically involves a customer subscribing to a portion of an off-site solar facility’s generating capacity, receiving credits on their utility bills for the electricity produced by . [pdf]

FAQS about Community solar United States

What is community solar?

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) defines community solar as any solar project or purchasing program, within a geographic area, in which the benefits of a solar project flow to multiple customers such as individuals, businesses, nonprofits, and other groups.

What is the national community solar partnership?

The U.S. Department of Energy’s National Community Solar Partnership tracks progress toward the goal of expanding access to affordable community solar to every household in the United States. One of the ways this is accomplished is by gathering and analyzing community solar project data in three categories:

How many states have community solar?

As of 2024, community solar programs of some sort are available in 41 states and Washington, D.C. However, availability still requires participation from individual local utilities in many cases. Can you make money with community solar?

What are the benefits of community solar?

Meaningful benefits of community solar, as defined by DOE, including equitable access and consumer protections, meaningful household savings, increased resilience, community-led economic development, and solar workforce development.

How many community solar projects are there in 2024?

The Solar Energy Industries Association estimates 6.5 gigawatts of community solar have been installed in the US as of the first quarter of 2024. These projects are spread across 41 states and Washington, DC, with 19 states and DC implementing official policies and programs to encourage more community solar.

How does community solar work?

Community solar subscribers typically receive a monthly bill credit for electricity generated by their share of the solar PV system, as if the system were located on their premises. Community solar arrangements allow customers to enjoy advantages of solar energy without having to install their own solar energy systems.