5 Ways Community Solar is Simply Ingenious

There is a new utility program available to Hennepin County residents that is allowing homeowners to enjoy the benefits of clean, renewable energy. As a result of Minnesota legislation passed in 2013, Xcel Energy customers can now simply subscribe to a Community Solar garden built by SunShare, Minnesota’s largest and most experienced community solar company. By enrolling in a solar garden, Hennepin county residents can displace brown power from fossil fuels with clean solar power, and save money doing it.

Here are 5 ways that enrolling in community solar gardens is a simply ingenious choice.

1. Save up to $500 a year on electricity bills.
Hennepin County residents can subscribe to a community solar garden which delivers electricity directly to Xcel Energy’s electrical grid. Xcel Energy partners with SunShare to buy the power generated from the community solar garden and distributes credits on your Xcel Energy bill which reduces the cost of electricity bills.

2. Go solar without a rooftop system.
A community solar subscription provides all of the benefits of solar, but removes the hassle of installing and maintaining the panels. Instead of installing panels directly on rooftops, SunShare builds solar projects near the Twin Cities and all across Minnesota. Xcel Energy customers can subscribe to a SunShare community solar garden and completely offset their electricity with clean renewable power.

3. SunShare’s Community Solar is transportable.
Unlike rooftop solar, community solar is easily transferable. If a subscriber moves within the service area, they can transfer their agreement to their new address. There is also the option of selling the solar subscription with their home.

4. You choose how to pay.
SunShare solar subscribers can choose to pay monthly and lock in a stable, affordable solar subscription rate with no upfront cost. Or SunShare customers may pre-pay the entire subscription for a lower upfront cost, compared to rooftop options.

5. Now it’s easy to make a meaningful difference.
For years, the public has been demanding sustainable solutions and cleaner energy. But, for the first time, there is a simply ingenious community solar utility program which allows everyone to choose a locally produced sustainable electricity source, just like they can choose a locally produced organic apple. By making the choice to enroll in a community solar garden, subscribers are leading their communities by embracing innovative renewable energy solutions on a long-term, significant scale.

Enrollment in the SunShare Community Solar Garden is available to Xcel Energy customers for a limited time on a first-come, first-served basis. More information about community solar is available at 1-844-WOW-SOLAR or mysunshare.com/wow.