Community solar is a state-enabled program, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, that makes it more affordable for developers to build local solar projects—adding renewable energy to the electricity grid, reducing the utility's reliance on fossil fuels, and helping states reach their carbon-zero goals. Just as the name suggests, these are "shared" solar projects that benefit the whole community (unlike rooftop solar which serves just the individual household or building owner). Think: Hundreds of solar arrays on a large plot of unused land. Developers receive tax incentives to build these community solar projects, and utilities get a cheaper power source since solar production is cheaper than coal and oil. Program participants ranging from renters, homeowners, businesses, schools, institutions, and municipalities get to benefit from these savings in the form of discounts on their electricity bills. It's a win for everyone!

We currently serve thousands of business owners across multiple states, and on average, those who've received at least 12 months of community solar credits are seeing $700 savings per year off their electricity expenses*. Exact savings will vary as it depends on the discount rate being offered by the solar project in your area—as well as your business' monthly electricity use, seasonal sunshine levels, and other factors. Our community solar projects typically offer up to a 5%-15% discount off solar credits. Generally, the more electricity your business uses, the more solar credits you'll receive, and the higher your savings will be.

*Arcadia recently merged with Perch Energy to form one community solar company. Average savings figures are based on Perch Energy's historical data for business participants.

You save money thanks to a solar credit that gets applied to your monthly electric bill, reducing the total charges. But the exact process in how you receive those savings can differ by state, because program rules differ by state.

1) One Bill: Pay your electricity bill, with your savings applied, through your utility company the same as you always do. There is no additional bill through Arcadia. This is known as "Consolidated Billing" or a "One Bill" model and is common in New York, Illinois, New Jersey, Virginia, Oregon, and parts of Minnesota.

2) Dual Bill: Pay your electric bill, with your savings applied, through your utility company the same as you always do—and then pay an additional bill to Arcadia for only a portion of the credit value. For example, if you’re on a solar project offering a 10% discount, and it generates $1000 worth of credits, you'd get the full $1,000 deducted from your electricity bill. You'd then pay Arcadia just $900—so $100 is your savings. We don't keep that $900, we pass it along to the solar project to support its operations. This is known as “Dual Billing”, and is available in Delaware, Massachusetts, Maine, DC, and parts of Minnesota and New York.

3) Yet a third option exists where businesses can opt for "Arcadia Consolidated Billing", or “ACB”, where we take over paying your electricity bill to your utility company—and you *just* pay the one bill to Arcadia (as referenced in #2 above).

No matter where your business is located, community solar through Arcadia is designed to save you money. When you go through enrollment, we’ll explain exactly what to expect with credits and billing!

Joining community solar through Arcadia is free! Think of it as a reward for supporting renewable energy. States receive funding from the government and are incentivized to increase their clean energy generation to meet America’s aggressive carbon-zero goals. Community solar developers and solar project owners get a piece of those incentives in the form of tax breaks, while residential and business participants like you receive a discount off your bill. This entices more people to participate in community solar and ensures everyone is benefitting from clean energy. It’s a win for you, a win for states, and a win for the planet.

If you pay an electric bill, you may be able to join! Some solar projects can have restrictions (usually dictated by either the state program or the solar project). But typically businesses of all types and sizes can enroll along with renters, homeowners, and even non-profit organizations and other non-commercial entities. We currently serve a range of businesses and local community members, from commerce and grocery stores to religious institutions to universities, state government agencies, and more.

Minutes! Just have your electricity account number and utility login credentials handy. We connect to your utility account to review your business' typical electricity usage before we can assign you to a solar project. After completing signup, Arcadia gets to work—we'll email you updates about your community solar eligibility, the solar project, and when you can expect your first discounted bill.

Not directly. Instead of your home or business being powered by the solar project, your participation helps support the production of clean energy onto the overall electric grid. From there, the utility distributes it as needed throughout their service territory. You get “rewarded” in the form of bill savings.

No. While solar development is growing rapidly nationwide, right now, there are still just a small fraction of community solar projects compared to what we expect in the coming years. And once a project’s spots fill up, you would have to wait for capacity to open back up—or a new project to be developed in your area—before you can join. So if there’s a community solar project nearby with current openings, lucky you! 

Arcadia makes money from the solar project owners. They hire us to help bring on participants like you (sometimes referred to as “subscribers”)—and manage your community solar service, crediting, billing and more. Many solar project owners rely on Arcadia for the expertise, technology, and desire to provide these services. The good news is when you join a community solar program through Arcadia, we’re there for you and happy to answer any questions you have!