One of the major benefits of community solar is the ability to tap into solar savings without the need to fund upfront costs or install a system onsite. While this story is sometimes told with homeowners in mind, there’s increasing attention being given to businesses who may seek to take advantage of a simplified energy partnership with minimal risk and strong savings.

Today’s deep dive explores more into just a handful of business types that are pursuing community solar, where we will start by sharing some typical benefits for each business type.

Mini - Case Studies:

Solar Vendor: Nexamp
Benefits: 40MWs of new solar energy supported, with savings for Starbucks & an estimated 1,100 homeowners
Why this makes sense for Large Multi-Site Corporations:
Large corporations with dozens/hundreds of facilities often assume supporting local renewable energy means installing systems at each site. While possible, that approach comes with site-specific challenges and potential upfront costs. Community solar offers a simpler path, focusing on electricity usage rather than on-site installation, which allows multiple locations to be covered through a single, low-barrier transaction. This approach also enables companies like Starbucks to demonstrate meaningful community impact by playing a pivotal role in delivering energy savings to local residents.
Solar Vendor: Pivot Energy
Benefits: 10MWs of subscription + 50MWs of environmental claims with savings for Rivian and 11,000 homes
Why this makes sense for Manufacturing / Industrial Facilities:
Onsite solar can be a good option for factories with large rooftops or open land, but its value depends on the site’s operations. For 24/7 facilities, the system may not be large enough to fully offset energy use. Community solar, on the other hand, is sized to a subscriber’s energy needs rather than site constraints, allowing for greater savings and, as seen with Rivian, stronger environmental benefits.
Solar Vendor: Summit Ridge Energy
Benefits: 24 MWs of Subscription with an estimated $450,000 in annual savings
Why this makes sense for Non-Profits:
Non-profits are diligently focused on advancing their core mission but still face rising electricity costs like for-profit organizations. While some may have the expertise to pursue complex energy transactions, limited bandwidth often makes this difficult. Community solar provides a simple solution, allowing non-profits, like hospital networks, to access clean energy and cost savings without navigating the complexity of alternatives like on-site solar or virtual power purchase agreements.
Solar Vendor: Perch Energy
Benefits: $20,000 in Annual Savings across 31 Wendys and McDonalds
Why this makes sense for Franchisees / Small Businesses:
The role businesses have in community solar partnerships isn’t limited just to large corporations, but also to businesses with a more local footprint. As #173 on Franchise Times Top 200, All Star Management has reached that level by looking to take steps on their own to reduce their operating costs and boost their bottom line. Community solar as a savings solution has the ability to scale to meet your demand, whether that is 100 stores or just 1, limiting all those that participate from the need to install panels onsite (particularly favorable amongst those that rent their facilities) and also without a need to raise upfront costs.

Businesses of all types are discovering that community solar can support both their bottom line and sustainability goals. Explore how community solar could make a difference for your business by connecting with Turquoise Trail Energy Solutions and seeing the story it can create for you.

Sources:

1) Nexamp and Starbucks Support Energy Equity with Six New Community Solar Projects in Illinois

2) Rivian Partners with Pivot Energy to Build Community Solar in Illinois

3) Healthcare & Hospital Operator OSF Signs Up for 20-year Community Solar PPA | Energy Tech

4) McDonald's, Wendy's franchisee partners with Perch Energy | QSR Web