FAQs: Community Solar

No. The community solar subscription option is perfect for people who want to save money with green energy but do not have a roof or other suitable place to install solar panels.

No. There are no initial or ongoing fees payable to OYA or the utility for being a community solar subscriber. We do recommend that subscribers seek legal advice before signing any contract which would be at the subscriber’s cost.

Depending on the metering class from the utility, the term can last anywhere from 5-25 years with various extension options. This will be clear and known up front after we review your utility bills.

You will still be purchasing power from your local utility and will still be connected to the utility grid so you will have power when you need it.

Yes. Depending on the state and utility you will either receive all of your community solar crediting on the same bill, or you will also receive a separate bill from OYA. Please contact us for specific clarity for your state.

Subscribers sign a subscription agreement to receive bill credits from the project at a 10% discount.

The subscription agreement entitles the subscriber to receive a defined percentage of the bill credits that are produced by the project during the term of the agreement. In effect, customers sign up to receive a ‘share’ of the solar project’s bill credits.

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