Community Solar Finally Comes to Minneapolis

This is a paid post contributed by a Patch Community Partner. The views expressed in this post are the author's own, and the information presented has not been verified by Patch.

Plenty of us wish that every rooftop in Minneapolis had solar panels. But in reality, some roadblocks can make it a bit difficult to install a solar panel system: maybe you have trees that shade your roof for the majority of the day, or you're hesitant about signing up for such a long-term commitment.

Roadblocks like these often have solutions, but one barrier that’s particularly difficult to navigate is property ownership – if you don’t own the roof over your head, you can’t install a solar panel system on it (at least, not without the owner’s buy-in).

But benefiting from low-cost, solar energy shouldn’t be the exclusive right of those fortunate enough to own their homes in Minneapolis. And it no longer is – thanks to community solar.

What is community solar, and how does it work?
You don’t need to install any equipment to take advantage of community solar, so it’s a great way for both renters and property owners to reap solar savings.

Here’s how it all works:

1. A local solar farm generates renewable electricity for the grid.
2. Your utility company distributes this electricity to its customers (including you and your neighbors!)
3. As a community solar subscriber, you buy a share of energy* from the solar farm. Community solar companies sell the energy at a discount so that you pay a lower rate than what your utility company charges.
4. Solar credits show up on your monthly electricity bill, reducing what you owe your utility company.

*Note: since the energy does not go directly into your home, community solar programs use a bill crediting system to pay you for the value of the energy produced from your share.

Best of all, you can join a local solar farm near Minneapolis without paying any money upfront or committing to a long-term contract; many community solar options allow you to sign up for free, and cancel at any time.

Benefits of subscribing to community solar in Minneapolis
There are plenty of reasons to sign up for community solar; here are just a few:

• Electricity bill savings: with community solar, you can save 5-15% on your annual electricity bills without any change in service.
• Local renewable energy jobs & development: when you subscribe to a local solar farm, you help promote further renewable energy development in your area. Plus, the company that builds and maintains this solar farm may employ your neighbors or other members of the Minneapolis community.
• Easy sign-up and cancellation options: we know we already mentioned this, but it’s worth repeating – it’s free to sign up for most community solar programs (including those near Minneapolis). And if you ever need to cancel your subscription, it’s typically easy to do so. Some companies may require a minimum cancellation notice or charge a small early termination fee, while others allow you to cancel at any time, for any reason.

Finding the right community solar program
Community solar isn’t available in every state; luckily, solar farms near Minneapolis are looking for new subscribers (and filling slots up quickly!)

One helpful resource is EnergySage’s Community Solar Marketplace. Here, you can learn more about open projects near Minneapolis, get a quick estimate of how much you can save with community solar, and subscribe to a local project with ease.

This is a paid post contributed by a Community Partner, a local brand partner. To learn more, click here.