Community shared solar is expanding rapidly as a model ownership structure for solar PV. By offering customers an option to purchase or lease part of a larger solar array instead of having to purchase the entire system, the model greatly expands participatory opportunities to a large new market segment of citizens and customers, with very low or no cost to local government.
This market expansion and centralized site model also has profound implications for lowering the costs of installed solar, particularly in regards to ""soft costs"" – those costs beyond the physical solar hardware itself – such as permitting, inspection, customer acquisition, labor, and maintenance. This report provides an overview of the status of community shared solar projects in Solar America Communities as of September, 2014, as well as some of the differences and similarities between the creation and structure of these programs.
| Date | November 2014 |
| Topic | Solar Basics & Educating Consumers; Financing, Incentives and Market Analysis; Shared Solar: Community & Solarize |
| Subprogram | Soft Costs |
| Author | ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability USA |