Community Solar Is Getting Big In The United States

Community solar is a developing force in the US, particularly among the northern states, while some places have taken the idea one step removed by installing their microgrids. Community solar plans enable residents and businesses to buy portions in solar array schemes to get energy benefits. More than 1,000 megawatts (MW) of community solar energy, instead to power about 165,000 homes, was installed in the US during the first quarter of this year, according to the latest report. The research by non-profit Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) also found that 42 states across America are home to at least one district solar project, in which a power company invites nearby residents and business to buy shares in a solar array so they can profit from the scheme. After the installation of 1,023MW within January and March, further projects are planned that could present three gigawatts (GW), the power required for 500,000 homes, set to be entered over the next three years. America‘s northern states are pioneering this development, with Colorado introducing the first pilot projects in 2011, a 78-kilowatt (kW) array in the western portion of the state. Minnesota has since been converted to the country’s most prominent proponent of the technology, with the most community solar installed of any state to date; however, its projects don’t include much support for households, meaning the majority of their capacity is accounted for by commercial clients. New York also has a large amount of shared solar power, in large part due to Governor Andrew Cuomo’s $1bn (£770m) state action to advance and accelerate solar deployment and projects.

What is community solar?

Community solar is a way for households and businesses to obtain solar power, even if they rent, live in multi-tenant buildings or aren’t able to complete their solar system. It involves the construction of local facilities, controlled by utilities, which sell shares to community members who get tax credits on their electricity bills according to their share of the power produced. Another model involves allowing community segments to invest in a portion of a local solar facility and receive credit accordingly. SEIA’s report claims at least 19 states, including Delaware, Connecticut and California, have officially recognized community solar’s benefits and introduced multiple projects. Others such as Illinois, New Jersey, and Oregon are close behind, not yet having installed any arrays but moving in the right direction by encouraging shared solar growth through progressive policy reform.

Community solar going even further

One community in the US has taken the idea of self-sustaining solar energy entirely into its own hands. After a construction crew in the village of Ocracoke in North Carolina’s coastal Outer Banks area accidentally cut power to the island, the residents sought to take advantage of cheap solar panels and batteries to create and harness their energy. Tideland EMC, the local power company, added rooftop solar panels and two large Tesla batteries to the building that houses the original diesel generator after prices for both dropped in the wake of the disaster. The batteries can store 0.5MW of excess energy, which can be used during the peak summer months when thousands of visitors flood the island and energy use triples to approximately 7MW. While the diesel generator is now functional again, Oracoke’s solar microgrid continues a vital back-up to its energy system.  In the wake of Hurricane Maria last summer, Puerta Rica is now watching to follow suit with a solar-powered microgrid of their individual.

Now that we know solar power is coming on strong all over the United States, you can take your part by contacting HahaSmart today.

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