Instead of purchasing expensive solar panels and installing them on the roof of your house, community solar is more of a team-effort when it comes to producing solar power. Here’s the anatomy of a community solar project:
1. A solar farm site is built in a suitable location, with ready connection to the electricity grid.
2. People from around the state contribute money for management and maintenance of the farm, typically via monthly subscription.
3. Large credits from power generated by the community solar project are sent back to the participants, ultimately reducing their electricity bills.
Because community solar doesn’t require participants to have a “solar-ready” property (with plenty of roof space, facing the right direction, and in enough direct sunlight), it’s accessible to more people.
Even Maryland residents who rent or live in apartments can enjoy clean, renewable solar energy. It is easy to see how much you can save!
Also, since the cost of installation and maintenance is split between the collective, nobody has to pay thousands of dollars up front to install solar panels. It’s a much more affordable option to traditional solar panel installation.