What is Community Solar?

Bottom Line: Consistent electricity savings with no upfront costs or install.

Comparison chart of onsite solar and community solar highlighting location, upfront cost, impact on bill, maintenance, and typical client.

Community Solar vs Onsite Solar:

Not all solar works the same way.

Onsite solar, typically installed on your rooftop, cuts costs by offsetting your energy use from the utility, whereas Community Solar provides savings through utility bill credits that reduce your energy bill.

But this isn’t the only difference. Learn how Community Solar may be the right move for your business’s goals.

Why do these projects exist?

Community Solar programs are designed to be easy for everyone to participate in.

The programs are created by state governments with the goals of:

  • Encouraging more local clean energy production

  • Making the benefits of solar energy accessible to those who can’t pursue on-site renewable energy for cost or logistical reasons

Want to learn more? Check out our Deep Dive on: Why Community Solar Programs Exist

Diagram showing energy flow from sunlight and solar panels to a house, with financial support.
Diagram illustrating solar energy benefits: a solar panel labeled 'Sunshine' sending energy to a receipt labeled 'Sharing,' which connects to a bank building labeled 'Savings' with arrows indicating a cycle.

How does Community Solar work?

With community solar, you tap into clean energy from a local solar project and earn guaranteed savings—without changing how you get power.

  1. Sunshine: The solar system generates clean electricity and sends it to the local utility

  2. Sharing: Participants receive bill credits for their portion of the generation, offsetting some or all of their bill

  3. Savings: Participants pay back a portion of the bill credits to the project owner, keeping 10 to 15% for themselves as savings, month after month

Want to learn more? Check out our Deep Dive on: How Community Solar Saves you Money.

Where can I participate?

Community Solar is enabled at the state level, so availability varies by state and utility.

Check our Availability Tracker to see where you can start saving!

Don’t see your utility listed? There may still be opportunities available. Please feel free to contact us to receive a free consultation from our team.

Check Availability in Your Electric Utility




Why partner with Turquoise Trail?

Electricity prices keep climbing and the options to save are more varied and confusing than ever. That’s where expert guidance makes all the difference.

Partner with Turquoise Trail Energy Solutions for a simple & secure path to dependable savings.

This all happens with our 3 steps to saving.

Take the first step towards to lower operating expenses by sending us an electric bill from one of your facilities.

  • Using your electric bill and our proven expertise, we make it easy to see exactly how community solar can benefit you.

  • With your customized savings analysis in hand, we provide strategic guidance to ensure you have the clarity and confidence to move forward successfully.

  • We analyze the market and provide only the top offerings from trusted solar partners that align with your business’s best interests.

Want to learn more?

Learn more with our Education Series
Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to Get Started?