Community Solar Explained

Community Solar
Benefits All

Community solar projects provide clean, affordable energy to residents while creating economic opportunities and environmental benefits for the entire community. (Even honeybees!)

These innovative shared solar arrays transform unused land into clean energy hubs, making renewable power accessible to nearby renters, homeowners, and businesses alike. Local jobs are created through installation and maintenance phases, while the land beneath the panels often doubles as pollinator-friendly habitat. From reduced utility bills to cleaner air and enhanced grid resilience, these solar farms cultivate a brighter, more sustainable future for everyone involved.

How Community Solar Works
in Your Community

Community solar is a collaborative approach to clean energy. Here’s how it works:

Solar Installation

A solar farm is built in your community, often on unused land or large rooftops.

Subscription

Local residents, businesses, and organizations can subscribe to a portion of the solar farm’s output. Anyone can subscribe, including local businesses, renters, and those whose properties aren’t suitable for solar of their own.

Savings for Subscribers

Subscribers start saving by receiving credits for their share of the energy generated from the solar panels. Most subscribers save at least 10% on their energy costs, depending on the solar project, the utility, and their home state.

Community solar is currently operating in states like Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, New Jersey, Illinois, among others. Many more states have recently enacted policies to encourage community solar development. The list of participating states continues to grow as the benefits of this model become more widely recognized.

Energy Equity and Independence

Community solar projects are local installations that directly benefit residents and businesses through a model that generates electricity closer to the communities that use it.

Energy Equity
Community solar allows anyone to access clean solar energy. Not just those with the financial means and available property to install their own arrays. Community solar also often sets aside subscriptions for low- to moderate-income households wherein these subscribers receive even greater savings on their electric power, sometimes up to 30-40%.

Energy Independence
Community solar helps to decentralize power generation, allowing communities to produce electric power locally, reliably, and sustainably. This reduces the need to import electricity generated out of state. 

Frequently Asked Questions About Community Solar

Community solar allows individuals to subscribe to a local solar farm, while utility solar is a large-scale project owned by power companies. Community solar offers direct benefits to subscribers, whereas utility solar benefits are controlled by the utility.

No, solar farms don’t produce emissions, chemical runoff, or harmful radiation. They’re safe for nearby residents and the environment.

No. Solar panels are sealed units that don’t leak or produce waste during normal operation.

Subscribers opt in to receive credit for a portion of the power produced by the community solar project. They do not purchase any solar panels or equipment.

This varies by project size, but is typically hundreds of subscribers.

Yes, many community solar programs have specific provisions to make participation accessible and beneficial for low-income households.

Hosts can include landowners, businesses, schools, or other entities with suitable space for solar installations.

They can be on open land, large rooftops, parking lots, or other areas with good sun exposure within the community.

Yes, it creates jobs during the construction and maintenance phases, increases local spending through subscriber savings, and increases local tax revenues.

Want More Information on Community Solar?

Community solar is an exciting opportunity to participate in the clean energy transition, regardless of your living situation or budget. If you’re curious about how community solar could benefit you and your neighbors, email communityimpact@chaberton.com.