What is Community Solar?
Community solar is a solar-electric system that benefits communities when the financial or power benefits accrue back to multiple community members.
There are a multitude of examples nationwide and they can be categorized into three general areas; Utility sponsored models, Special purpose Entity (Business) Models and Non- profit models. In Wisconsin’s utility environment electric cooperatives have the best legal and financial system to take advantage of solar power in Wisconsin. See the Wisconsin Community Solar Tab for some examples.
Why Community Solar?
Several national studies have identified anywhere from 19-27% of existing American homes as suitable for private solar installations. Of these many may be located in areas where solar is impractical due to utility policies, property restrictions, or siting limitations. Community solar offers a clean power option to the remaining 70-80% of the households and other specific advantages:
Some of the benefits that may be realized by the contributing Utility include:
To learn more about community solar and the specific advantages of each model - see this publication produced with the assistance of NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory).
Community solar is a solar-electric system that benefits communities when the financial or power benefits accrue back to multiple community members.
There are a multitude of examples nationwide and they can be categorized into three general areas; Utility sponsored models, Special purpose Entity (Business) Models and Non- profit models. In Wisconsin’s utility environment electric cooperatives have the best legal and financial system to take advantage of solar power in Wisconsin. See the Wisconsin Community Solar Tab for some examples.
Why Community Solar?
Several national studies have identified anywhere from 19-27% of existing American homes as suitable for private solar installations. Of these many may be located in areas where solar is impractical due to utility policies, property restrictions, or siting limitations. Community solar offers a clean power option to the remaining 70-80% of the households and other specific advantages:
- Improved economies of scale-lower cost per installed KW.
- Optimal project siting
- Generation of local jobs
- Opportunity for efficient integration with existing utility system
- Increase awareness of the value of solar energy
Some of the benefits that may be realized by the contributing Utility include:
- Avoided energy losses in transmission and generation.
- Grid Services that include voltage regulation and microprocessor controls for energy synchronization.
- Financial benefits of controlling local power sources during peak loading.
- No fuel costs.
- Renewable Energy Credits.
- Low operation and maintenance costs.
- Upgradeable as new technologies for storage become available.
To learn more about community solar and the specific advantages of each model - see this publication produced with the assistance of NREL (National Renewable Energy Laboratory).