If you want clean solar share , but can’t install solar on your own rooftop (or you don’t have a roof at all), community solar is a great option. It costs little or nothing upfront, is available to anyone who can pay their utility bill (not just homeowners and renters), and saves you money right away.

Community solar, also known as community-scale solar, is a rapidly growing energy market. It refers to local solar power facilities that are owned by multiple subscribers who receive credit on their electric bills for the electricity it produces. There are a few different ways community solar projects can be built, and the details vary by state. But the bottom line is that this emerging renewables model delivers a triple win: customers save money, utilities reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and the environment, and communities build a cleaner future.

Empowering Communities through Solar Share Initiatives: A Path to Sustainable Energy Cooperation

In general, community solar projects are more affordable than residential behind-the-meter solar and more accessible than larger utility-owned projects. This is because the underlying technology is more scalable and there are a growing number of companies that offer off-the-shelf solutions for setting up community solar programs, administering them, and billing the customers.

LG&E and KU’s current Community Solar Share facility in Simpsonville is more than halfway subscribed, and we’re developing a fifth section to meet the demand for this program. Subscribers to the program license a specific portion of the solar array based on their individual electric use, and they can watch in near real-time as the facility generates power through our online Solar Share live dashboard.