What Is Community Solar?

If you’re curious about Community Solar, you’ve come to the right place. Here at Altus Power, we are leading the way towards a more affordable future by offering Community Solar to homeowners and renters in multiple states across the country.

‍So, what exactly is Community Solar? Let’s dive in.

Community Solar programs offer individuals the option to save money on their electricity bills and support more local energy in their communities without installing equipment or adding panels to their roof.

Altus Power’s clean energy is produced by large-scale “solar farms” owned and operated by Altus Power, located on nearby commercial rooftops, carports, or on the ground. Solar farms are made up of hundreds or even thousands of solar panels, which capture energy from the sun and convert it into electricity we use every day.  

We send the power produced by these solar farms directly to local electricity grids so it can be used to power homes and businesses in the surrounding community, lowering energy costs and reducing the reliance on energy derived from fossil fuels.  

‍How does Community Solar help you save money?

As energy costs continue to climb across the country, affordability matters more than ever. Community Solar gives qualifying residents the opportunity to purchase electricity from a nearby solar farm and receive credit on their utility bill for it. The size of the credit you receive depends on the amount of clean energy generated by the solar farm you are subscribed to. The bill credits you receive each month appear as a deduction on your bill and significantly reduce the amount you owe your utility company.

If you’re an Altus subscriber, we’ll bill you for those credits — at a reduced rate — which saves you money overall.  

You can expect to see discounts on your bill within two or three billing cycles after you sign up — or two or three billing cycles after your local solar project is powered on, if it’s still under construction. What the billing process looks like, however, depends on whether your account is on Standard Dual Billing or Consolidated Billing. Read more about Community Solar billing methods here.

Here’s an example of how Community Solar saves you money:

Let’s say your electric utility bill this month is $400, and you receive a credit of $300 on your bill in exchange for the energy generated from your portion of the solar farm. In other words, you will pay your utility company only $100. Then, Altus will bill you for those solar credits at a discounted rate.

For example, if we agree on a 20% discount, then you’d be paying a total of $340 instead of $400 this month — saving you $60!  
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‍How does Community Solar Help the environment?

Community Solar subscribers aren’t just saving money — they are actively helping others save money and supplying more clean energy directly into the local power grid, which is then used to power local homes and businesses in the community. That means less reliance on power made from fossil fuels. When our solar farms convert sunlight into usable electricity, neither greenhouses gasses nor other harmful emissions are produced.

Community Solar is a great way for people to support clean energy if they live in an apartment, are renters, do not want to install rooftop panels or face structural or building issues preventing them from installing their own solar panels. The only requirement to participate in Community Solar is having a utility bill — the program is open to homeowners and renters alike, and there are no upfront fees or ongoing subscription costs. Subscribers only pay Altus a percentage of what they save on their electricity costs each month. We share in the savings, and your community gets the benefits as well.  

If you want to read more about Community Solar, here are some articles from the web that we recommend:  

Community Solar Makes Renewable Energy Available to All  
Community Solar: Access Solar Power Without Rooftop Panels
14 Ways to Save on Your Electric Bill

To see if Community Solar is available in your area, click here and enter your zip code and utility company. To complete your sign up, you will need a copy of your utility bill so be sure to have that handy.  

If Community Solar is not currently available in your zip code, please join the waitlist to be contacted when we expand. For questions, concerns, or technical support, reach out to us at hello@altuspower.com any time — we’re always here to help.  
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