SOLARCITY MOVES INTO COMMUNITY SHARED SOLAR IN MINNESOTA

Renewable energy giant SolarCity to make first community solar investment in Minnesota; Apartment residents are focus of planned solar garden.

David Shaffner, June 17, 2015 Minneapolis Star Tribune

SolarCity, the biggest U.S. residential solar installer, will partner with Minnesota’s Sunrise Energy Ventures to invest $200 million in 100 community shared solar projects at the periphery of the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. Community arrays, called solar gardens in Minnesota, offer people without solar suitable roofs the benefits of owning solar such as reduced cost along term fixed price electricity. Subscribers might be renters, utility customers whose usage is too low to justify a rooftop system, or homeowners whose roofs are heavily shaded.This is SolarCity’s first community shared solar commitment but its marketing captured over a third of the U.S. residential market in 2014. For Minnnesota solar garden subscribers, it will offer a streamlined sign-up, a one-year-only commitment, and a 10% to 15% electricity bill reduction. click here for more

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