Join community solar and begin saving today.

How community solar works for you

Community solar works a lot like a community garden. Local utility customers sign up for subscriptions to a central solar facility—known as a community solar garden—and receive credit on their utility bills for energy produced.

Save money

When you join a community solar garden, the energy produced goes toward your electric bill. How much you save depends on how much energy the solar garden produces. Most members save 10% annually on their electricity bills.

Support clean, local energy

By joining a community solar garden, you’re saying yes to renewable energy in your neighborhood.

Combat climate change

Community solar gardens reduce demand for fossil fuels, limit greenhouse gas emissions, and shrink our collective carbon footprint.

Find a solar
garden near you

Ready to go solar? Below is a list of community-powered solar gardens currently being built. Membership is limited so apply soon.

Community Solar For Bangor Hydro Customers

Are you a Bangor Hydro customer? If so, save 15% on your energy bill while helping develop clean energy for your communi...

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Community Solar For Maine Public Customers

The Novel Energy Community Solar Garden will produce the energy equivalent of 843,364 gallons of gas consumed, 412 tons ...

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Winona Community Solar Garden

The Winona Community Solar Garden will produce the energy equivalent of 57,630 gallons of gas consumed, 260 tons of coa...

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Western MN Community Solar Garden

The Western Minnesota Community Solar Garden will produce the energy equivalent of 147,980 gallons of gas consumed, 724 ...

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Washington Community Solar Garden

The Washington Solar Garden will produce the energy equivalent of 59,230 gallons of gas consumed, 270 tons of coal burne...

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St. Cloud Community Solar Garden

The St. Cloud Community Solar Garden will produce the energy equivalent of 115,078 gallons of gas consumed, 563 tons of ...

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Renville Community Solar Garden

The Renville Community Solar Garden will produce the energy equivalent of 63,370 gallons of gas consumed, 280 tons of co...

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Northfield Community Solar Garden

The Northfield Community Solar Garden will produce the energy equivalent of 168,267 gallons of gas consumed, 823 tons of...

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Wabasha Community Solar Garden

The Wabasha Community Solar Garden will produce the energy equivalent of 64,680 gallons of gas consumed, 290 tons of coa...

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Mankato Community Solar Garden

The Mankato Community Solar Garden will produce the energy equivalent of 167,074 gallons of gas consumed, 818 tons of co...

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Garden News

Stay up-to-date on community solar in your area. 

Garden News

Community Solar Updates for Xcel Energy

Overview Welcome to the Xcel Energy community solar garden update blog. With your membership, you’re saying yes to renewable energy in your neighborhood. Our developers (Novel Energy Solutions) are in the process of constructing multiple gardens at once. Memberships like yours help us grow and bring more savings and support of clean, local energy to […]
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Abram Mertz

November 12, 2022 | 2 mins

0
Garden News

Community Solar Updates for Central Maine Power

Overview Welcome to the Central Maine Power community solar farm update blog. With your membership, you’re saying yes to renewable energy in your neighborhood. Our developers (Novel Energy Solutions) are in the process of constructing multiple gardens at once. Memberships like yours help us grow and bring more savings and support of clean, local energy […]
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Abram Mertz

November 12, 2022 | 3 mins

0
Garden News

Community Solar Updates for the Versant Bangor Hydro District

Overview Welcome to the Versant Power – Bangor Hydro District community solar farm update blog. With your membership, you’re saying yes to renewable energy in your neighborhood. Our developers (Novel Energy Solutions) are in the process of constructing multiple gardens at once. Memberships like yours help us grow and bring more savings and support of […]
Read Now

Abram Mertz

November 12, 2022 | 2 mins

0
Garden News

Community Solar Updates for the Versant Maine Public District

Overview Welcome to the Versant Power – Maine Public District community solar farm update blog. With your membership, you’re saying yes to renewable energy in your neighborhood. Our developers are in the process of constructing multiple gardens at once. Memberships like yours help us grow and bring more savings and support of clean, local energy […]
Read Now
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Shelby Kaehler

October 20, 2022 | 3 mins

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Community Involvement

Join Solar Donates $25,000 To Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine

We are very happy to announce our first Brighter Future Nonprofit recipient. As a thank you to new community solar members in Maine, Join Solar gave back $25,000 to the Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine in August. These funds provide 75,000-149,999 meals to people facing food insecurity across Maine throughout its statewide partner agency […]
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Shelby Kaehler

October 19, 2022 | 2 mins

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Solar FAQ

Challenges Facing Power Grids

What is The Inflation Reduction Act? In 2022, the Biden administration signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act, which, among doing other things, invests heavily in renewable technologies and infrastructures like electricity. At this critical moment, it’s worth asking what the biggest challenges facing our power grids are. They have come under trial in recent […]
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Shelby Kaehler

September 19, 2022 | 3 mins

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Energy Savings

Energy-Saving Tips

The Energy and Inflation Relationship Before being adjusted for inflation, the cost of electricity is at an all-time high. Increasingly extreme weather is impacting the cost of energy by increasing demand and limiting supply (whether through drought or damage to infrastructure, for example). Fortunately, there are measures that residents can take to save on the […]
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Shelby Kaehler

September 13, 2022 | 3 mins

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Energy Savings

Trending Energy Rates

Electricity prices reflect the costs involved to build and maintain power plants and the grid. Multiple factors influence these costs, so energy rates fluctuate from state to state, year to year. The year 2021—the last full year on record—saw a 4.3 percent increase in the average price paid by US electric customers.  That number put […]
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Shelby Kaehler

September 12, 2022 | 3 mins

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Energy Savings

How the EV Market Could Impact Energy Consumption

At first, Tesla had the electric vehicle (EV) market mostly to itself. That’s because few people saw the viability of an EV market, so Tesla was able to strike early and fast. But Tesla’s success in making EVs mainstream has since drawn the attention of major automotive manufacturers and startups worldwide. Many of these automakers […]
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Shelby Kaehler

September 12, 2022 | 3 mins

0
Community Involvement

What Are Suggestions for Choosing Community-Solar Sites?

In order to build a community-solar farm, a community-solar developer must find a parcel of land that is suitable for development. Basic requirements for development are that the site is large enough to accommodate the number of solar panels needed to serve subscribers. (The size of the land will depend on whether the solar farm […]
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Shelby Kaehler

August 24, 2022 | 3 mins

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Garden News

Community Solar Updates for Xcel Energy

Read Now

Abram Mertz

November 12, 2022 | 2 mins

0
Garden News

Community Solar Updates for Central Maine Power

Read Now

Abram Mertz

November 12, 2022 | 3 mins

0
Garden News

Community Solar Updates for the Versant Bangor Hydro District

Read Now

Abram Mertz

November 12, 2022 | 2 mins

0
Garden News

Community Solar Updates for the Versant Maine Public District

Read Now
Avatar photo

Shelby Kaehler

October 20, 2022 | 3 mins

0
Community Involvement

Join Solar Donates $25,000 To Good Shepherd Food Bank of Maine

Read Now
Avatar photo

Shelby Kaehler

October 19, 2022 | 2 mins

0
Solar FAQ

Challenges Facing Power Grids

Read Now
Avatar photo

Shelby Kaehler

September 19, 2022 | 3 mins

0
Energy Savings

Energy-Saving Tips

Read Now
Avatar photo

Shelby Kaehler

September 13, 2022 | 3 mins

0
Energy Savings

Trending Energy Rates

Read Now
Avatar photo

Shelby Kaehler

September 12, 2022 | 3 mins

0
Energy Savings

How the EV Market Could Impact Energy Consumption

Read Now
Avatar photo

Shelby Kaehler

September 12, 2022 | 3 mins

0
Community Involvement

What Are Suggestions for Choosing Community-Solar Sites?

Read Now
Avatar photo

Shelby Kaehler

August 24, 2022 | 3 mins

0