Community Solar Pros and Cons: A Complete Overview

Sunscription is powered by US Solar, a Community Solar developer who has been operating since 2014 and manages over 5000 active subscribers. As a leading Community Solar provider in states like Minnesota, Colorado and Illinois, we understand the pros and cons of Community Solar and everything involved with joining a Solar Garden.

We created this helpful guide to make your decision a bit easier, walking you through the pros and cons of Community Solar for your home, and how you can save with a Community Solar subscription. We hope that this article gives you a better understanding of Community Solar Gardens and why you might consider joining. If you have any questions about Community Solar, don't hesitate to reach out to the Sunscription team directly and talk with a team member.

What are the basics of Community Solar?

There are 24 states that have enacted Community Solar legislation as of 2024. A Community Solar Garden (also known as a Community Solar Farm) is a large array of solar panels located near the community it serves. Homes and businesses near the Solar Garden are encouraged by the solar developer to become members of the Community Solar Garden, save on electricity costs and support clean energy. Members of the Solar Garden earn Solar Credits on their bills without needing to install solar panels on their roof.

Once a Solar Garden is constructed, it converts sunlight into new clean energy for the grid. With the help of Community Solar, power plants don't need to burn as many fossil fuels to meet the demand for electricity. Solar Gardens come in many shapes and sizes, ranging from small plots of land to spanning over 30 football fields.

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Community Solar Pros and Cons

It is important to note that Community Solar programs and offerings might vary between developers, states and income qualifications. The pros and cons lists below relate specifically to US Solar's Community Solar Gardens, so it's always a good idea to understand the developer's offering before signing up. Some solar developers do not offer a discount, but instead you can legally claim the value for the renewable energy produced. US Solar's Solar Gardens are most commonly a fixed discount off of the bill credit rate with no additional fees, meaning that you are guaranteed to save when you earn solar credits for as long as you stay in the Community Solar Garden.

Pros:

1. Members save money on their electricity costs by receiving solar credits
2. Solar Gardens provide clean energy for the local community
3. New habitat for bees, butterflies and helpful pollinators in our Solar Gardens
4. Easy to support clean energy without the upfront cost of solar panels
5. Solar Gardens create energy from the sun, not by burning harmful fossil fuels

Cons:

1. Limited availability: Solar Gardens are not yet available in some areas, so not everyone can participate
2. You will have a separate charge from your regular utility bill
3. Wait times: members may have to wait for a period of time to join a Community Solar Garden
4. Renters need to have an electricity account in their name to participate
5. Individual subscribers cannot make the claim their home is running on 100% clean electricity

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Community Solar Pros and Cons in detail

Pros:

1. Members save money on their electricity costs by receiving solar credits

Most Community Solar programs offer some type of discount or savings rate. This savings rate is generally fixed for the lifetime of the agreement, so as long as your Solar Garden is producing electricity onto the grid, chances are you will be saving money with your Community Solar Garden. US Solar's most common type of Community Solar Garden is a fixed discount rate, which guarantees that you will have the same discount rate for as long as you choose to stay in the program. Even if energy prices fluctuate with your utility, your discount rate ensures that you will save when earning monthly solar credits on your energy bill.

2. Solar Gardens provide clean energy for the local community

Even if savings are not quite as high as a rooftop solar system might offer, Community Solar Gardens offer an immense amount of benefits to the community. Many people choose to join because they get to support local energy, having their dollars go towards clean energy each month at no added cost. Support for community solar helps to build a national clean energy economy and local grid resilience. For more information on how Community Solar benefits the power grid, check out our article here.

3. New habitat for bees, butterflies and helpful pollinators in our Solar Gardens

Community Solar offers exciting opportunities for agrivoltaics. From US Solar, Agrivoltaics is the combination of Agriculture + Solar Production (Photovoltaics). According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Agrivoltaics is the concept of using Solar projects to create renewable energy and provide space for local agricultural activities.  Growing hand-harvested crops, honey production, and small livestock grazing can occur both underneath and next to solar installations. Read more about how companies like US Solar are making developments in agrivoltaics here.

4. Easy to support clean energy without the upfront cost of solar panels

Solar panels can be an amazing addition to your home, with the potential to earn high savings over time. Like any major purchase, buying a rooftop solar system requires planning, research and upfront capital to get started. You may also need to consider replacing your roof you're someone who still wants to support local clean energy but rooftop solar doesn't make sense for you, Community Solar can help you get started supporting clean energy right away without the upfront cost or risk.

5. Solar Gardens create energy from the sun, not by burning harmful fossil fuels

If you're curious to know how the Solar Panels at our Solar Gardens work, you can check out our blog post How do Solar Panels Work?.

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Cons:

1. Limited availability and wait times: Solar Gardens are not yet available in some areas, so not everyone can participate

Solar Gardens have limited capacity, so depending on your timing and location, there is a chance you'll have to wait a while. Some states have required that subscribers be locating in the same or an adjacent county to the Community Solar Garden, so traditionally this has limited who can participate and who can't.

2. You will have a separate charge from your utility bill

With many community solar programs, Solar Credits get subtracted from your electricity bill and reduce the cost you pay to your utility. Savings happen when you pay the solar company for your credits at a discounted rate. Although most companies (such as US Solar) allow you to set up your account via autopay, others may send another paper bill to keep track of. If you're curious to learn how bills and savings work in your state, you can visit the Sunscription Support Center.

3. Monthly savings are not as high as rooftop solar

Because many community solar programs let you join with no upfront cost, it's tough to compare the monthly savings with community solar vs buying a $10,000-$30,000 rooftop solar system. While community solar subscribers do generally earn savings, they are also able to support clean local energy with no risk, no upfront cost, and no change to their home or property. On top of that, savings can range from about 5% to 30% of the current bill credit rate, which is cheaper than the standard utility rate. Community solar is the easiest stepping stone towards energy independence, but you shouldn't go in expecting hundreds of dollars in savings each month.

4. Renters need to manage their own electricity account to participate

Renters who pay their utility bill to a management company instead of their utility directly may not be able to enroll without working with their management company to enroll.

5. Subscribers cannot claim their home is running on 100% clean electricity

Sunscription offers the opportunity to support renewable energy being added to the grid. Unfortunately, you cannot make legal claims that your home is running on 100% renewable energy. If your local government requires a renewable offset, you may need to invest in an onsite array.

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Is Community Solar Too Good to Be True?

The US is working to reduce harmful emissions and fight climate change. Cleaning up the energy grid is a top priority for supporting a healthier planet. With close to 8 billion people on planet earth, the way we produce our energy will define the future. As over half the homes in the US unqualified for rooftop solar, Community Solar makes clean energy accessible and effective at a large scale.

Solving a problem as big as climate change requires every tool in the toolbox. What’s great about community solar is that it’s efficient, cost effective, and there are direct benefits for community members. As a member of a Solar Garden, people and businesses can play a part in the clean energy transition without needing rooftop solar panels.

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So far, 20+ states have passed legislation that supports some form of community solar. Built on collective action and accessibility, community solar is catching the attention of many policymakers who are looking to make a real impact. It takes everyone to make a change, get started with your Sunscription by finding a Solar Garden near you!