Great news!

At SunCommon we start from the belief that everyone has the right to a healthy environment and a safer world, and that clean energy is where to start. To make that future a reality, many Vermonters need an alternative to adding solar at their homes, and so we created our Community Solar Program.

In just one year, over 500 Vermont households have joined our Community Solar program. We’re coming to you with a solar solution to fit the bill: we’re building a Community Solar Array (CSA).

We want to make sure local residents in Lowell, Albany and Irasburg get first dibs on the 30 shares available. As always, we aim to make solar easy and affordable – reserving your spot in the CSA requires just a $1 deposit.

We’ve designed our program for any Vermonter who needs an alternative solution to building solar at home. CSA members join with monthly membership payments at NO upfront cost with a guaranteed 7% savings.

How does a Community Solar Array come together? We’ve worked with folks like Harvey Bushey, a maple sugarer up in Fairfield, to build one-acre solar systems on their land. As the sun shines, the array racks up solar credits. Each member of the array receives those credits on their utility bill, offsetting some or all of their electricity costs. Instead of paying the utility, members pay a monthly membership payment.

What are RECs?

Renewable Energy Certificates document the environmental attributes produced by renewable energy sources, and can be sold to contribute funds needed to build a solar project like a CSA. Currently, Vermont does not have a renewable portfolio standard that provides a market to buy or sell RECs within Vermont. So, the RECs may be sold to utilities in neighboring states. Where SunCommon sells RECs associated with a CSA, the buyer of the Renewable Energy Credits may claim the environmental attributes. Given the way electrons flow, the power from the solar array typically flows to neighbors of the array. A CSA Member does not receive solar energy, but receives solar credits in the form of cash on her/his utility bill.

RECs are one of the financial attributes that are bundled together to make it possible to offer CSA membership at a low monthly payment and guaranteed savings. We expect Vermont to adopt our own renewable portfolio standard in 2017, after which the RECs associated with the electricity generated by CSAs will support Vermont’s clean energy goals.

Want to dig into the details? We’ve got you covered with this Q+A!