As a no-cost middleman, the sun has numerous advantages as a free and abundant power source. Not only does going solar save you money over using traditional power sources; going solar offers other important perks and incentives. Community solar, which is a solar site dedicated to powering multiple subscribers, is an especially advantageous model for supplying solar power to businesses and homes. Read below for information on just how advantageous community solar can be for you and your home.
How It All Works
Property owners or renters pay for solar-sharing subscriptions to a community solar farm or garden in the area. The subscription price will depend on the amount of energy used monthly by a specific property. Once energy is produced at a community solar site, that energy is made available to all subscribers, ensuring an ample amount of clean energy for all those properties.
Community Solar Saves You Money
Community-solar subscribers pay their solar company for energy credits. They still receive standard utility bills, but those costs and fees get offset by the less-expensive community-solar credits. Your savings will vary by state, but Join Solar estimates a savings of at least 10 percent and as much as 15 percent, depending on where you live.
Other Advantages of Community Solar
In addition to saving you up to 15 percent on your energy bill over your traditional provider, community solar carries a number of important advantages. The first is that community solar provides you with clean, renewable energy. Because sunlight is natural and free, it offers an inherent advantage over energy that comes from fossil fuels like coal, which cost more and create pollution to harness. Solar energy creates no pollution to harness.
Community-solar sites can be located almost anywhere, making them convenient to access for maintenance—community solar infrastructure is easier to maintain than that of traditional energy supplies. A de-centered energy grid almost means there’s less likelihood of outage due to mechanical failure or severe weather. Contrary to popular belief, very cold weather will not affect community solar’s energy output.
Not only does community solar help you save money on your energy bills; your utility provider may end up paying you for your unused energy. By contrast, you can use a home battery system to store your extra energy for future use. With ample energy to power your home or business, you can make due by living off the power grid entirely. Energy self-sufficiency means that you can be no longer reliant on your electric company for power. Solar power is cheaper now than it ever has been. And not only does community solar benefit you and other subscribers on your grid; the reduced collective demand on electricity companies’ grids means there is less likelihood of an outage for others.
By joining community solar, you’ll be at the forefront of energy cost savings, technological advancement, and environmental best practices.
