What is Sunscription Community Solar?
Sunscription connects you to a Community Solar Garden (also known as Community Solar Farm), allowing you to save money, support local renewable energy, and have more control over your power, without ever installing solar panels on your roof. Community Solar Gardens are large solar projects which use solar panels to make clean energy directly from the sun. Underneath the solar panels, we often plant native vegetation and flowers to attract pollinators, reduce runoff and build soil structure. Solar energy with Sunscription is growing Minnesota's renewable energy portfolio and helping transition to a clean energy future.
As a Minnesota Community Solar Garden member, you support clean solar energy with no upfront cost and save alongside people in your community.
Why Community Solar Gardens for Minnesota?
Minnesota state officials created the Community Solar program to lower Minnesota's carbon emissions and encourage homeowners/renters to participate in clean energy. As the official solar partner of the Minnesota Twins and servicing subscribers such as the City of Minneapolis and the University of Minnesota, Sunscription is helping Minnesota reach its clean energy goal of 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040.
The Story of Community Solar in Minnesota
In 2001, the Minnesota Legislature enacted the Minnesota Renewable Energy Objective (REO), which encouraged electric utilities to obtain at least 10% of energy sales from renewable energy sources by 2015. A few years later, in 2007, they created the Minnesota Renewable Energy Standard (RES), requiring Xcel to generate 30% of its power from clean energy sources by 2020.
Also in 2007, the Next Generation Energy Act established new targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, requiring Minnesota to cut emissions by 80% between 2005 and 2050 and support new energy efficiency programs.
In 2013, Minnesota created a Community Solar Garden (CSG) program to advance its clean energy goals and went on to support the largest CSG program in the nation for several years.
The HF 2310 Environment, Natural Resources, Climate, and Energy Omnibus Bill, posted May 2023 and signed by Governor Tim Walz expanded the Community Solar program for residential subscribers and low-to-moderate income households. It increased authorized project sizes from 1MW to 5MW and established new thresholds for residential capacity requirements. HF 2310 helps bring Community Solar to more Minnesotans and promises a bright future for the continuation of the Community Solar Program.
How is Community Solar Helping Cut Emissions?
From the January 2023 Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Report to the Legislature, greenhouse gas emissions declined 23% between 2005 and 2020. If current trends continue, Minnesota is on track to meet its goal of reducing emissions by 30% by 2025.
Although energy generation is only a portion of total state emissions, utilities in Minnesota have successfully reduced their emissions by 54% from 2005-2020. Sunscription is doing the on-the-ground work of realizing our state goals by bringing new clean energy to Minnesota.
What is Happening Today with Clean Energy in Minnesota?
In February of 2023, Gov. Tim Walz signed a bill establishing the statewide goal of 100% carbon-free electricity by 2040. This bill seeks to continue supporting renewable energy programs and create new clean energy jobs for Minnesota. As of April 2023, renewables generate about 29% of Minnesota's electricity, the state's largest share of energy sources. Minnesota has enough solar to power 238,146 homes, and 4,570 people have jobs dependent on solar.
How Does Community Solar Work with My Xcel Energy Bill?
Community Solar works similarly to having solar panels on your roof, where your utility “buys back” clean energy as it goes onto the grid. Because you are a member of a Solar Garden, you likewise receive Solar Credits on your bill based on the energy created at the Solar Garden. To finance and maintain the solar project, the owner of the Solar Garden charges a reduced rate to members for the Solar Credits they receive, saving them money each month. Click the link to join a Solar Garden near you.
