It seems everywhere you turn today prices are going up. The news talks of post-pandemic inflation, “supply chain issues,” and how consumers are paying more and more for everything.
So, it’s surprising to get a message from a new customer wanting to cancel a program designed to save them money.
“I saw on TV that people are being charged for using solar energy because they got too many credits!”
The woman on the phone spoke sternly, convinced she had been misled and signed up for something that is costing her more money. Let’s face it, someone says you can save money with Community Solar by signing on the dotted line…no cost to enroll and no equipment to buy. Who wouldn’t be skeptical? There’s got to be a catch, right? Especially, when you hear reports of people with solar panels on their roof being charged for generating too much electricity.
But that’s not Community Solar.
Community Solar is a state regulated program allowing homeowners, renters, and businesses to receive credits for energy generated by a local solar farm. You don’t need solar panels on your roof or property. The solar-generated electricity is fed into the grid in your name. There’s no change to where you get your electricity, it still comes from your regular utility company. However, you must opt-in and it can take a while to see the savings.
After signing up for the program, we research the amount of electricity your home or business typically uses. We make sure the proper amount of credits get applied to your account so, you don’t get too many. For this, we need a copy of your bill. Often, the solar farm is still under construction and the credits don’t appear immediately. Eventually, you save money because solar energy is far less expensive than fossil fuels. Community Solar makes your electric bill go down…not up.
The woman on the phone is only slightly convinced.
“Why did my electric bill go up?!”
We hear this question a lot. Many people are outraged because the increase isn’t just a little…it’s sometimes double or triple the previous bill. Electric bills don’t increase because someone signed up for Community Solar. However, the program can lessen the increase! Energy costs are going up in many states because of increases in the cost of fossil fuels like natural gas, widely used to generate electricity.
The woman on the phone seems reassured. During the call, we discovered we didn’t have all the documents needed for her to join the Community Solar program. So, there’s no way the increase in her bill was caused by Community Solar. It was just another increase in the cost of goods and services.
At the end of the phone call, the woman understood the rate hikes and decided not to cancel something that reduces her bill. She’s looking for those documents and planning to fight back against utility rate increases with Community Solar.
If there a Community Solar program available in your area? Find out by clicking here.
