Community solar in New York

With community solar, you can subscribe to a share of a solar farm near you. If you have an electric bill, you can support renewables without installing anything on your property – and save money!

The Empire State is home to one of the best community solar markets in the country. NY first launched community solar in 2015 as part of the Shared Renewables Program, an initiative to help make clean, affordable energy accessible for all types of New Yorkers. As of 2020, thanks in part to Governor Cuomo’s NY-Sun initiative and Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) plan, New York is one of the top five states with the most community solar installations in the country.

A community solar project is a solar farm whose electricity is shared by more than one property. The primary purpose of a community solar farm is to allow members of a community to share the benefits of solar power even if they cannot or prefer not to install solar panels on their property. Project participants benefit from the electricity generated by the community solar farm, which costs less than the price they would ordinarily pay to their utility.

Savings differ from program to program, and also vary by month. On average, most community solar subscribers in New York receive a 5-10% discount off of traditional electricity costs over the course of a year.

Community solar could be a great option for you. It has many different benefits including traditional benefits of going solar like environmental friendliness and cost savings.

Invest in local energy

Community solar programs help support local renewable energy jobs and project development in New York, connecting you directly to clean energy projects in your community.

Save money on your electric bill

You can save 5-10% off of your annual electricity costs with community solar.

Access community solar without needing to own property

Unlike rooftop solar, you don’t need to own your property to take advantage of community solar (you just need an electric bill!)

Sign up for community solar easily

Many community solar farms have no subscription fee and are easy to opt-out of. Plus, you don’t need to install or maintain any equipment on your property.

Virtual net metering (VNM) is a bill crediting system for community solar. It refers to when solar is not used on-site but is instead externally installed and shared among subscribers. In this case, you receive credits on your electric bill for excess energy produced by your share of a solar garden.

Virtual net metering is known as community net-metering in the state of New York. Here, subscribers to community solar (called community distributed generation) have been able to receive credits on electricity generated off-site by solar panels since 2015.

Which option is right for you?
Here are some of the main differences to keep in mind as you’re deciding between community and rooftop solar:

There are plenty of misconceptions out there about community solar, but luckily we’re here to help clarify. Here are some of the truths about community solar:

You don’t need to own a home to go solar

Since you don’t need to have a suitable rooftop for solar to participate in a community solar project, it’s a great option for renters and people who live in shared housing. By purchasing a share of or subscribing to a community solar project, everybody can benefit from solar while paying less for electricity.

Community solar isn’t expensive

Back in the day, community solar often cost more than what you’d otherwise pay your utility – so it’s understandable if you still think that’s the case. However, it’s the opposite! By signing up for community solar, you’ll actually save money on an annual basis.

Community solar and green power aren’t the same thing

Ever received a letter in the mail urging you to sign up for a clean electricity plan? Or had someone knock on your door asking you to sign up for a green power plan? Community solar is not the same thing! Here’s a breakdown of how community solar compares to other electricity options:

To learn more about these electricity plans, check out this article.

Many solar farms are environmentally friendly

Community solar can take up a lot of space, so it’s easy to be confused about how it’s environmentally friendly – don’t these projects clear trees? While some solar farms will require the cutting of trees, many don’t! In fact, a lot of community solar projects are built on otherwise unusable land like landfills or brownfield sites. Some states even provide financial incentives to developers who choose to build projects on these sites. And overall, even if some trees need to be cleared for a community solar project to be developed, the net environmental benefit is still worth it in most cases.

You don’t need to sign a long-term contract

Many people think that signing up for community solar means a long-term commitment – and we understand why! In the past, community solar subscriptions were often structured similarly to power purchase agreements in which you’re locked in for 20 or even 25 years. However, today, community solar subscriptions are much more flexible. Most companies don’t require a long-term agreement and you can cancel your subscription for free.