Subscription and Agreement
Q: Does Community Solar Lessen My Carbon Footprint?
A: Yes. By choosing to support a local community solar program you are contributing to reducing the reliance on fossil fuels and creating fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
Q: What Happens to the Land You Build Solar Gardens On?
A: One of our pledges as a company is to leave the land better than we found it. For example, in Minnesota, we are part of Fresh Energy’s “Pollinator Pledge.” This means, when possible, we design our gardens to serve as a habitat for bees and butterflies that pollinate local farms. We also try to build on brownfield sites, which include land with limited use such as old landfills or chemical spill sites.
Q: How Many Solar Gardens are Operational Now?
A:We have 30 fully subscribed and operational solar gardens in Colorado and Minnesota and will continue to build new solar gardens in Colorado and Minnesota in the future.
A subscription now means you will reserve a spot in one of our new solar gardens and begin seeing credits on your bill as soon as the gardens are built and active.
Q: How Does Billing Work?A:
A: In order to subscribe to a SunShare Community Solar Garden, you must be an Xcel Energy customer, live in the same county as, or adjacent to, the garden, and have a credit score of at least 680.
Q: What if I Rent?
A: The beauty of community solar is that EVERYONE, who pays an electric bill, can benefit from solar electricity – regardless of homeownership or roof quality.
Q: How Do I Subscribe?
A: If you are interested but need more information, contact one of our team members by email at info@mysunshare.com or by dialing 800.793.0786. If you are ready to subscribe now, simply fill out the short form on to receive the subscription documents.
Q: What Happens After I Submit My Subscription Documents?
A:
-
SunShare will do a credit check to ensure your credit score is above 680. This will take about 2 – 4 weeks complete.
-
Simultaneously, SunShare will reach out to Xcel Energy for your usage information in order to accurately calculate your subscription. This will take about 3-5 weeks to complete.
-
Once SunShare has calculated your subscription, and your credit has been approved, you will officially become a SunShare subscriber, and you will be put on a wait list for a to-be-constructed solar garden. Subscribers are placed into solar gardens on a first-come-first-served basis.
-
Once you have been assigned to a to-be-built solar garden, there is typically a 6 – 12 month construction time frame. While your solar garden is being built, SunShare will provide helpful information regarding your SunShare subscription, including important information about billing, how to set up automatic payments, and the expected date for when your garden will become live.
A: In order to subscribe to a SunShare Community Solar Garden, you must be an Xcel Energy customer, live in the same county as, or adjacent to, the garden, and have a credit score of at least 680.
Q: What if I Rent?
A: The beauty of community solar is that EVERYONE, who pays an electric bill, can benefit from solar electricity – regardless of homeownership or roof quality.
A: In order to subscribe to a SunShare Community Solar Garden, you must be an Xcel Energy customer, live in the same county as, or adjacent to, the garden, and have a credit score of at least 680.
Q: What if I Rent?
A: The beauty of community solar is that EVERYONE, who pays an electric bill, can benefit from solar electricity – regardless of homeownership or roof quality.
Subscription and Agreement
How Do I Subscribe?
Start at mysunshare.com/check-availability, and follow the simple step-by-step instructions. We’re also available by phone, chat, or email if you have any questions along the way.
Phone: 800.793.0786
Email: info@mysunshare.com
What Happens After I Submit My Subscription Documents?
- SunShare will request your historical electricity usage information from your utility in order to accurately size your subscription. This can take up to 3-5 weeks to complete.
- Once SunShare has calculated your subscription size, you’ll receive confirmation that your subscription has been approved, and you’ll join our waitlist, and be assigned to a community solar garden on a first-come-first-served basis as capacity becomes available.
- You’ll receive seasonal newsletters from us updating you on your status and the expected wait time. Waitlist timing can be anywhere from a couple of weeks to 12 months depending on the construction schedule of new community solar gardens. Once you have been assigned to a community solar garden, SunShare will provide helpful information regarding your SunShare subscription, including important information about billing, how to set up or change automatic payments, and the expected date for when your garden will start producing clean, renewable energy.
Can I Consider this Program an Investment?
No. SunShare’s Solar Services Agreement is in no way intended to be viewed as an investment.
Do I Own a Portion of the Solar Garden?
No. Your subscription simply pays for the generation of the clean, renewable energy that is delivered to your utility company.
Am I Responsible for any Costs Related to Maintaining the Solar Garden?
No. SunShare will own, operate, maintain and insure the solar garden for its lifetime.
Are Subscribers Entitled to any Federal Tax Incentives?
Currently, there are no tax incentives associated with subscribing to a community solar program. SunShare, as the developer and owner of the solar garden, does take advantage of tax incentives to help reduce costs and serve income-qualified subscribers.
How Long is My Solar Services Agreement?
The length of your SunShare agreement is simply the length of the agreement between SunShare and Utility to deliver solar energy onto the power grid. This is also the length of time for which you are guaranteed to receive Bill Credits from Utility on your utility bill while you remain a subscriber. Our Solar Services Agreements are flexible to allow for an easy transfer or cancellation if you move or need to end your subscription for any reason. See our transfer or cancellation FAQ here.
What Would Make Me Ineligible for SunShare Community Solar?
If you stop receiving a utility bill from your current utility for any reason, such as moving out of utility service territory, transferring your utility bill to someone else or die, your community solar subscription will be terminated.
What Happens if I Become Ineligible for SunShare Community Solar?
If you become ineligible to participate in our program, our Solar Services Agreement allows for an easy exit. If you are no longer a utility customer and therefore unable to receive solar bill credits, SunShare will work with you to either move your subscription or terminate it. And we’ve never charged an exit fee and will never charge you for bill credits that you didn’t receive.
Can I Transfer My Solar Services Agreement?
Yes! That’s one of the best parts about community solar – you can take it with you if you move! As long as you are moving within your utility’s service territory, we can simply transfer your subscription to your new home so you continue receiving all the benefits of your subscription!
Can I Cancel My Solar Services Agreement?
Each of our subscription agreements has its own cancellation terms, so please refer to the summary page on your subscription agreement. However, we have never charged an exit fee to any subscriber.
What if My Energy Usage Goes Down and Stays Down After I Subscribe?
You will continue to earn bill credits on your utility bill for the amount of energy produced by your subscription and contributed to your utility’s grid. We can adjust your subscription size at any time based on changes in your electricity usage. Utilities treat excess bill credits differently, so please reach out to our Customer Care team about your specific circumstance at customercare@mysunshare.com or 800.793.0786.
Can Community Solar Cover My Boulder Green Building Requirements?
Yes. Please review the details here, and then reach out to our sales team at info@mysunshare.com or 800.793.0786.