Powering up community solar
Community solar deployment has seen tremendous growth in the past 5 years and is expected to continue growing as more states like New Jersey, Maryland, and New Mexico add program capacity, expanding community solar beyond the historically more active states of New York and Massachusetts.
Community solar increases access to clean electricity with multiple customers collectively benefiting from solar projects located off-site. These projects are typically connected to the distribution network, which directly benefits communities they are in by enhancing storm and climate resilience, creating community wealth, and providing workforce opportunities.
Community solar is gaining momentum in the United States, with over 7 gigawatts (GW) of capacity already in operation and a further 11 GW in the interconnection queues, while state and federal policies continue to strengthen incentives for further development. How should developers and investors navigate the diverse design and implementation of these programs? Here’s a deep dive on the potential risks and the market opportunity.