Community Solar Gardens Xcel

Members of other utilities in minnesota can subscribe to a community solar garden if one is offered by the utility.

Community solar gardens xcel.

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. Through the program garden operators own and interconnect a garden to the xcel energy electric grid then sell or lease solar subscriptions to xcel energy customers. 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.

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. Minnesota solar energy developers said their proposed projects from rooftop arrays to community solar gardens are suffering long delays at the hands of xcel energy hurting customers and. Solar power from xcel s existing. 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.

We deliver clean renewable energy directly to the electricity grid. Many people want to support renewable energy as a way to help the environment. 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.

The minnesota legislature established an option for customers of xcel energy to support community solar also referred to as solar gardens or solar farms. You get solar credits on your monthly utility bill. 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. Xcel energy customers can participate in projects offered by private developers.

Advocates say changes are needed to. 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.