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Community Solar Garden
What is a Community Solar farm or garden?
With energy costs constantly increasing, it's important to explore options for reducing reliance on a single utility company for all your power needs. Community solar, or shared solar energy, is a concept that has been in development for some time and is now a viable option for the general public. A community solar garden is a centralized location with a large group of solar panels that generates power that is fed directly into the grid. Your energy provider has agreements with community solar providers to give you credits on your electricity bill for power generated by your share of the solar garden. One of the benefits of this is that the solar farm may charge you less for the power than your traditional utility company, resulting in cost savings for you.
By joining a community solar garden, you can take advantage of solar energy without any of the hassle. You don't have to worry about purchasing, installing, or maintaining the solar panels - that's all taken care of for you. All you need to do is sign up with no fees and provide a copy of your electricity bill so the solar garden knows how many panels to reserve for your needs. This program is open to renters, homeowners (even if you already have solar panels on your roof), and businesses, and the credit qualifications are very low so that almost anyone can participate. Additionally, there are no penalties for canceling your service with the solar garden program. If you need to opt out for any reason, simply give them 60 days' notice. This makes it easy for you to switch to solar energy, whether you're moving or just want to maximize your energy savings.
If you pay a monthly electricity bill to Xcel Energy or Black Hills Energy, now is the time to sign up for a community solar garden. These gardens have a limited number of spots available, based on the number of panels in the garden. Once all the spots are filled, they may not be available again until the next solar garden is built, which can take years. Don't wait - fill out the form below and send us a copy of your electricity bill so we can get the process started for you.
What is a community solar garden? A
community solar garden is a shared solar energy system that provides a group of
people or organizations with the opportunity to participate in solar energy
generation.
How does a community solar garden work? Participants in a
community solar garden own or lease a portion of the solar panel system, and
receive credits on their electricity bill for the energy generated by their
share.
How much does it cost to join a community solar garden? There
is no cost to join a community solar garden. Many solar gardens are designed to
accomodate evenone especially low-income households so the qualifications to
participate are set very low to allow everyone to join.
Is there a long-term commitment required to join a community solar
garden? Most community solar gardens require a long-term commitment
(e.g. a 20-year lease), however the gardens we promote allow you to opt out of
the garden at any time with no penalty so long as you give 60 days notice to
cancel.
Will participating in a community solar garden save me money on my
electricity bills? Absolutly, you will receive credits on your
electricity bill for the energy generated by your share of the solar panel
system. The amount of savings will depend on various factors such as the size of
your share, the amount of energy your share generates, and your electricity
usage.
Can I get a tax credit for participating in a community solar garden?
Solar garden membership will not get you tax credits, but if you own a home and
finance the purchase of a solar PV system the tax benefits are substantial. If
you or someone you know is considering getting solar for your home or business
please reach out to Pete at 303-884-3381 for a gree no obligation quote!
How do I join a community solar garden? Interested individuals
or organizations can typically sign up for a community solar garden through the
program administrator or a participating utility. The process may involve
completing an application, reviewing program terms and conditions, and
submitting a copy of your power bill.
Is it necessary to own a home to participate in a community solar
garden? No, you do not need to own a home to participate in a community
solar garden. Our programs are open to renters and businesses as well.
Can I participate in a community solar garden if I have a shaded roof or
live in an apartment? Yes, you can still participate in a community
solar garden even if you have a shaded roof or live in an apartment. As a
participant, you will receive credits on your electricity bill for the energy
generated by your share of the solar panel system, regardless of where the
system is located.
Will my homeowners association (HOA) allow me to participate in a
community solar garden? Yes. The solar panels are not located on your
property and everything is done through a credit/debit system with your electric
utility company. If you personally pay your electric bill you should qualify.
How do the solar garden credits work? Once you submit your
information and a copy of your power bills the solar garden will generate a
quote for you to approve. This quote takes into account the amount of
electricity that you average per month in an attempt to allocate a sufficient
amount of solar panels at the farm to cover most of your electric needs. Each
month, as those panels generate electricity for you, the amount of power
generated is sent to the power company who will give you a direct 1 to 1 credit
for that amount of electricity. So rather than paying the standard amount to the
power company you would pay a reduced rate to the solar garden for that
elecricity saving you money every month.