FAQs

You may continue to purchase your electric supply through an ESCO while subscribing to a community solar project. The bill credit estimate and associated savings, provided above, include the cost of your ESCO electric supply bill.

In some cases, ESCOs bill their customers separately, rather than processing the supply charge directly on the utility bill. If this is the case, to reap the maximum benefits of community solar, your ESCO will need to process your supply bill through the utility’s billing system. This process enables you to receive a bill credit against your supply charge in addition to the rest of your electric bill.

If the ESCO supply bill is not moved onto the utility bill, you will receive bill credits against your entire electric bill, except for the supply charges. Should you notify us this is the case, the subscription percentage, and your associated estimated cost savings, will be reduced.

Bill credits are a line item on your bill that reduces your utility bill costs.

Bill credits are generated when the community solar project produces electricity, which is then used by the utility. The utility values the electricity generated based on several different criteria, such as the time the energy is generated. The value of the project’s electricity is then converted into bill credits, which are applied to subscribers’ electric utility bills.

Every month the subscriber receives credits equal to the value of bill credits produced by the project for that billing month and multiplied by the customer’s subscription percentage.

Project value of bill credits in a month

= {total energy produced by project in the month} x {average value stack rate of energy produced}

Value of bill credits provided to subscriber in a month

= {% project subscribed} x {project value of bill credits in month}

Amount billed by OYA in a month = {Value of bill credits provided to subscriber in month} x 90%

Bill credit savings in a month = {Value of bill credits to subscriber in month} x 10%

Calculation Example (not real data):

5,000 kWh produced per month, $0.20/kWh credit rate, 40% subscription

Project value in month = 5,000 kWh x $0.20/kWh = $1,000

Value to subscriber in month = $1,000 x 40% = $400.

Amount Billed by OYA Solar = $400 x 90% = 360

Bill credit savings to subscriber in month = $400 x 10% = $40

Too many bill credits may result in a negative utility bill in any given month. Negative utility bills are carried forward and applied in the next month. Given that the solar array produces more energy in the summer, summer months often have negative bills that get carried forward and applied to electric bills in the winter months.

You could consider signing up as a community solar subscriber which doesn’t require any space to install solar panels. Alternatively, if you have multiple properties or buildings within the same utility territory, we can build a solar project on one site and credit a different site.

Yes. If you have multiple properties or buildings within the same utility territory, we can build a solar project on one site and credit a different site.

We will determine if you have an existing warranty in place and work with the warranty holder and manufacturer to ensure we are maintaining the warranty.

Yes. We can structure the agreement to increase the upfront payment to help you offset some of your reroofing costs for installing solar on your property.

We are generally looking for roofs that are greater than 40,000 ft². We can install solar on sloped or flat roofs and can work with all roof composition types. Large open areas of roofs with minimal obstructions are preferred.