Community Solar Gardens Xcel

The minnesota legislature established an option for customers of xcel energy to support community solar also referred to as solar gardens or solar farms.

Community solar gardens xcel.

Xcel energy community solar gardens program. Even now xcel reports minnesota s community solar gardens currently have around 19 000 subscribers but the commercial and industrial clients represent 86 of their capacity. Xcel energy customers can participate in projects offered by private developers. Many people want to support renewable energy as a way to help the environment.

Our solar rewards community allows xcel energy customers to support solar energy without installing their own solar system. Solar power from xcel s existing. Members of other utilities in minnesota can subscribe to a community solar garden if one is offered by the utility. The community solar gardens csg program is available to any electric customer of xcel energy.

Community solar gardens csg allow people to support renewable energy through membership. Community solar gardens are by far xcel s largest form of competition xcel currently buys power from solar gardens at 13 5 cents per kilowatt hour on average. Xcel energy is the biggest utility in minnesota covering most of the population and is the only utility that has a legislation backed community solar program. Sunshare is one of the largest and most experienced community solar companies in the country.

It s credited at a rate similar to xcel charges its customers but gives the opportunity to reduce their. You get solar credits on your monthly utility bill. Advocates say changes are needed to. Solar rewards community developer resources.

Under its renewable energy plan trammell said xcel will increase community solar garden offerings with 170 megawatts of capacity available by the end of 2021. Csgs are large arrays located in sunny open areas. The electricity produced is fed to the grid and credited to a subscriber s xcel energy account.