Picture this: You are looking over your monthly bills and notice your electricity bill has been going up more and more. You’re wondering why and racking your brain on what to do about it. Suddenly, you hear a knock at your door. It’s someone from Solar on Earth telling you, that, with just a few pieces of information, and a signature or two, you could save on your annual electricity costs. All you have to do is join in on this thing called “Community Solar.” Sounds good, but saving money without it costing you anything? What’s the catch?
You go online to find out exactly what this solar community program is and there’s a lot of differing information. Some people say it’s a scam, that it’s too good to be true. There are also government websites that seem to say good things about the program. Sometimes, looking online creates more questions than answers.
We can happily and factually tell you that Community Solar is not a scam, and it is, in fact, an easy way for you to save money and energy.
Community Solar is part of a government-backed effort toward creating greater access to renewable energy for residents. You may be surprised to know that a portion of the payment you make on your electric bill today goes towards funding the solar farms we partner with. Signing on to receive some of your power from those farms is what allows you to reap those benefits in the form of credits.
It’s actually pretty simple – If you’d like to take advantage of these savings you will need to provide some simple information. It’s nothing more than what you might provide to your cell phone or cable company, and it’s, in part, to make the transition as seamless as possible while making sure you can take full advantage of the Community Solar program.
First, a copy of your electric utility bill will be needed in order to figure out your average usage of electricity. This helps estimate the number of solar credits you will require throughout the year. These credits later equate to the overall discount offered by the Community Solar program. Additionally, we might need some payment information for a standard monthly ACH transfer, like you may already have with your utility. That’s because not every state has moved to just having your discount show up on your utility bill.
Does this mean I will have two bills?
The short answer is “maybe”. Sometimes, the utility company will figure out how much you save on your credits and just put a discount on your bill. Not every utility does that so until they do we have what is called “dual billing.”
The consumer/subscriber gets a steep discount on their utility bill. For example, they get credits from the solar farm equivalent to $100. A $150 utility bill becomes $50. Then they get a bill from the solar farm (the second or “dual” bill). This bill is for the credits but at a discount, let’s say it’s 10% for this example. So the solar farm took $100 off your utility bill and only charges you $90…saving you $10. This bill from the solar farm usually arrives 30-60 days AFTER the credits were applied to the utility bill. New York State is one exception, as they have adopted the consolidated billing system where a discount is just added to your utility bill. We can assure you though, you are not being charged for the same usage twice and if you ever have questions, our Client Services team is here to help.
How does Solar On Earth Come Into Play?
With an expanding customer base spanning twelve states and servicing residential AND commercial properties, Solar On Earth is committed to echoing the benefits of Community Solar to the masses. We are experts in the field and have a proven reputation of professionalism and trustworthiness. While we do solicit subscriptions through door-to-door interactions, we feel as though it is simply a great opportunity to get to know the communities we serve, while giving you direct contact from day one of the subscription process. We want you to be able to put a face to a name and have your questions answered right then and there. Joining a Community Solar farm can take a couple of billing cycles or more, so we’re here to guide you through the process and help you shrink your utility costs.
So, when there’s a knock at the door, hear us out. Community Solar will benefit you, your wallet and the environment.
