Residential Community Solar Subscriptions
A community solar subscription is a program designed around solar subscription service. It is a long-term subscription that allows property renters and owners to support renewable energy while saving on electric costs. With this, you enjoy the benefits of using solar energy without necessarily installing solar panels on your property.
While a community solar subscription is very beneficial, you shouldn’t rush into a deal. With the help of a consultant, you can find a better deal by asking the following questions:
- How long is the contract period that the solar provider is offering?
- Does the firm charge a fee for early termination of the contract?
- Do they conduct a credit check?
- How will you pay your subscription fee? If you will be charged by kilowatt per hour, will it increase over time? How does the company bill its clients? Through a paper bill? Or electronically? Besides, when do they expect their payments?
- How much will you be saving by using solar? Most homeowners expect to save between 10 and 20%.
Commercial Community Solar Subscriptions
In the northeast United States, Solar Cents is focused on developing solar energy systems for community solar programs, and large utility-scale projects benefiting thousands of energy consumers in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland, and other states as they add incentives in their market. Each state has its own rules and regulations that determine the project’s financial capabilities.
So how does it work?
- Customers sign up for the community solar project with a certain subscription percentage and pay a fee to a generator facility.
- As the shared community solar equipment generates electricity, the generator’s meter will register the production per calendar month.
- The electricity generated is distributed to Community Solar residential and business customers who are subscribed with a generator.
- After the generator account is billed, the production usage (in kWh) is distributed to the customers based on their subscriber percentage.
- The allocated kWh is included on the customer’s bill as a Community Solar Credit for Delivery and Supply.
- Any unallocated kWh at the end of the month is banked and used in future months as applicable.
- Any unallocated kWh at the end of 12 months will be credited at the avoided cost of power.
Non-Profit Community Solar Subscriptions
Your non-profit organization can benefit from solar energy by supporting renewable energy connected to the grid. Community solar subscription allows non-profits to support clean energy initiatives without necessarily installing solar panels on their roofs. This is a good solution for non-profits, whether they own or rent their property.
Since you don’t have to install rooftop panels, you won’t have to be stressed by financing options, getting special approvals from local authorities, and more. Non-profits can support local or community solar energy and reduce their energy bills by opting for a community solar subscription.
Why Consider a Community Solar Subscription?
A community solar subscription can often be a great option for homeowners, renters, and other property owners who can’t qualify for solar panel installation. Solar Cents can help you make the right choice.
While the current rooftop solar industry has succeeded immensely, this business model has one main limitation. Rooftop solar highly depends on the customers having sufficient space in each location that can be used for installing solar PV systems. This typically means that homeowners or businesses should have roofs oriented to receive sufficient sunlight and with a suitable structure to hold it.
Unfortunately, an estimated 50% of U.S homes and businesses don’t have roofs and commercial establishments that can meet solar installation requirements. Most people live in rented homes, use leased office spaces, or live in areas where roofs are covered with trees and buildings. That aside, others with suitable roofs may resist solar panel installation for other reasons, such as aesthetics.
Nonetheless, finding ways of serving these customers with solar energy highly benefits solar energy producers and the environment. Recently, community solar emerged as a perfect remedy to this issue. Being a new concept, most homeowners and business owners haven’t understood or thought about it.
If you’re interested in learning more about how you can benefit from solar power, please reach out to us. Hiring a solar consultant can provide extreme value with unbiased and transparent information regarding financing, installing, and maintaining your solar systems.
