Individuals subscribe to a portion of a nearby solar garden and get credits on their utility bill for the electricity it produces.
Community solar provides a way for people without the financial means for solar on their rooftops and people who don’t own suitable rooftops to reap the benefits of renewable energy.
Community solar programs may be established by lawmakers or regulators. A community solar policy enables virtual net metering, which allows many individuals to be credited for the generation of a single solar installation. The policy should also create a competitive market that allows independent power producers to develop and own community solar installations (often called gardens).
Thanks to community solar, households and businesses can support solar on a local children’s museum, house of worship, or public housing project. These subscribers get to see solar in their community and see savings on their electricity bills. Community solar developers may promote other benefits, such as increased resiliency, local job creation, or multiplied financial returns — all of which are boosted when the project is locally-owned.
Wondering if your state allows community solar? Explore ILSR’s Community Solar Tracker for a map of states with enabling policy and data on each state’s installed generation capacity, updated quarterly.
Community Solar Tracker
Discover how Alaska’s electric co-ops and the Cook Inlet gas crisis laid the groundwork for the state’s community solar policy.
Discover how Hawaii’s community solar law can promote energy equity through inclusive ownership, fair compensation, and access for low-income households.
Discover how New Hampshire’s community solar law can promote energy equity through inclusive ownership, fair compensation, and access for low-income households.
Members of New Hampshire’s resident-owned communities save money through community solar.
