Community Solar
What is Community Solar?
Community solar, also known as shared solar in Virginia, is a solar energy model that allows multiple individuals, businesses, or organizations to be credited by energy from a single solar power facility. This approach enables participants to directly benefit from solar energy when they are unable to install it on their own properties.
How does it work?
- Solar Facility Installation: A solar photovoltaic (PV) system is installed at a suitable location within the community.
- Subscription or Ownership: Community members in the same electric utility territory can subscribe to a portion of the solar facility’s output.
- Energy Generation: The solar facility generates electricity, which is fed into the local electric grid.
- Bill Credits: Participants receive credits on their electricity bills corresponding to their share of the energy produced, reducing their overall energy costs.
Benefits of Community Solar
Accessibility: Provides solar energy options for those who cannot install panels on their property, such as renters or homeowners with unsuitable roofs.
Cost Savings: Participants can lower their electricity bills through shared solar programs
Environmental Impact: Supports the transition to renewable energy, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and lowering greenhouse gas emissions.
Virginia: Shared Solar
In Virginia, community solar initiatives are referred to as shared solar. The Virginia General Assembly established the Shared Solar pilot programs to expand access to solar energy across the state.
Program Overview: Customers can subscribe to shared solar facilities, allowing them to benefit from solar energy without installing individual systems.
Eligibility: The program is available to various customer classes in Dominion Energy and Appalachian Power service territories, including residential and non-residential customers, with specific provisions to ensure accessibility for low-income individuals.
Minimum Bill: Shared solar subscribers must pay a minimum charge when participating in the pilot program. Low-income subscribers are exempt from this minimum charge.
How to Participate in Shared Solar in Virginia
Find a Subscriber Organization: Identify approved subscriber organizations offering shared solar programs in your area.
Choose a Subscription Plan: Select a Plan that fits your energy needs and budget
Enjoy the Benefits: Once enrolled, you’ll start receiving credits on your electricity bill for your share of the solar energy produced.
For more information on participating in Virginia’s shared solar programs, visit the Virginia Department of Energy’s Shared Solar page. You can also find details about Dominion Energy’s Shared Solar pilot program here. Please note that the Appalachian Power shared solar program is not yet operational.
Washington, D.C.
D.C.’s community solar program aims to bring the benefits of solar energy to residents—particularly those with low to moderate incomes—by offering bill savings without the need to install panels on their own rooftops. Residents can subscribe to a local solar project and receive credits on their electric bills, reducing their overall energy costs.
Key Features:
- Open to all Pepco customers, with a focus on income-qualified households
- No installation or upfront costs
- Participants receive monthly bill credits based on their share of the solar energy produced
The District government also runs a program known as the Solar for All initiative, which is designed to help low-and-moderate income households benefit from solar and lower their energy bills.
Maryland
Maryland’s Community Solar Pilot Program allows residents, businesses, and organizations to subscribe to portions of a nearby solar array and receive credits on their utility bills. The program prioritizes access for low- and moderate-income customers and has laid the groundwork for a permanent program, finalized in 2024.
Key Features:
- Available to BGE, Pepco, Delmarva, and Potomac Edison customers
- Bill credits reflect your subscription and solar production
- Includes projects on brownfields, rooftops, and agricultural land with dual-use (agrivoltaics)
Learn more here.