Community Solar Programs: How to Participate and Save Without Rooftop Panels

What if you could benefit from solar energy without installing a single panel on your roof? For the millions of Americans who rent their homes, live in apartments, have shaded roofs, or simply can't afford the upfront cost of solar installation, this question has long seemed like wishful thinking. Enter community solar—an innovative model that's democratizing access to clean energy and helping participants save money on their electricity bills, all without the need for personal rooftop installations.

Community solar Illinois programs have exploded in popularity thanks to supportive state policies and growing consumer demand for renewable energy options. Whether you're a renter looking for ways to reduce your carbon footprint, a homeowner with a shaded or unsuitable roof, or simply someone who wants to support clean energy without the hassle of ownership, community solar offers a compelling path forward. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore everything you need to know about how to join community solar, the financial and environmental benefits, and how to choose the right program for your needs.

What Is Community Solar? Understanding the Basics

Community solar—also known as shared solar, solar gardens, or solar farms—is a model where multiple participants share the benefits of a single, centrally-located solar installation. Instead of installing panels on individual rooftops, a developer builds a larger solar array, typically ranging from a few hundred kilowatts to several megawatts in capacity. Subscribers then purchase or lease a portion of the solar garden's output and receive credits on their electricity bills based on their share of the energy produced.

How the Subscription Model Works

The mechanics of community solar are elegant in their simplicity. Here's how a typical subscription works:

• The Solar Garden: A developer builds a solar installation, often on agricultural land, brownfields, or other suitable sites within the utility's service territory.
• Subscriber Allocation: Customers subscribe to a portion of the solar garden, typically sized to offset a percentage of their annual electricity consumption—often between 50% and 100%.
• Virtual Net Metering: The solar garden generates electricity and feeds it into the grid. Although the power doesn't travel directly to subscribers' homes, the utility tracks each subscriber's share of production.
• Bill Credits: Subscribers receive credits on their utility bills for their share of the solar energy produced. These credits offset the supply portion of their electricity charges.
• Subscription Fee: Subscribers pay the community solar provider for their share of production, typically at a discount to what they would have paid the utility for the same amount of electricity.

The net result is that subscribers pay less for electricity while supporting clean energy—all without any upfront equipment costs, roof modifications, or maintenance responsibilities.

Community Solar vs. Rooftop Solar

Understanding the differences between community solar and traditional rooftop solar helps clarify when each option makes sense:

• Ownership: Rooftop solar involves owning (or leasing) equipment installed on your property. Community solar involves subscribing to a share of a remote installation with no equipment ownership.
• Upfront Costs: Rooftop solar typically requires $15,000-$30,000 upfront (though financing and leasing options exist). Community solar usually requires no upfront payment—you simply start subscribing.
• Eligibility: Rooftop solar requires a suitable roof with adequate sun exposure and structural capacity. Community solar is available to virtually anyone with an electricity account in the utility's service territory.
• Portability: Rooftop solar panels stay with the property if you move. Community solar subscriptions can typically be transferred to your new address (if within the same utility territory) or cancelled with reasonable notice.
• Savings Potential: Rooftop solar owners capture the full value of their system's production plus any incentives. Community solar subscribers typically save a smaller percentage (10-20%) but take on no risk or maintenance responsibilities.

For a deeper comparison, see our article on community solar vs. rooftop solar.

Community Solar in Illinois: Policy and Programs

Illinois has emerged as one of the leading states for community solar development, thanks to progressive energy policies and strong support from utilities, developers, and consumer advocates. Understanding the state's community solar landscape helps you evaluate your options and take advantage of available programs.

The Illinois Shines Program

The Illinois Shines program, administered by the Illinois Power Agency (IPA), is the primary driver of community solar development in the state. Established under the Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA) of 2016 and significantly expanded by the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) of 2021, Illinois Shines provides incentives to solar developers in the form of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs).

Under Illinois Shines, community solar projects receive REC payments over 20 years, providing developers with the revenue certainty needed to finance and build projects. In return, developers must offer subscriptions to residential and small commercial customers, with specific requirements ensuring access for low-income households.

Low-Income Access Requirements

Illinois has been particularly progressive in ensuring that community solar benefits are accessible to low-income residents. Under state requirements, a significant portion of each community solar project's capacity must be reserved for low-income subscribers, defined as households earning less than 80% of the area median income.

Low-income subscribers in Illinois community solar programs often receive enhanced discounts—sometimes saving 50% or more compared to standard utility rates. These provisions help ensure that the benefits of clean energy reach those who need savings the most, rather than only affluent early adopters.

Utility Territory Considerations

Community solar availability in Illinois depends on your utility territory. Programs are widely available in the ComEd service territory (northern Illinois, including the Chicago metropolitan area) and the Ameren Illinois territory (central and southern Illinois). Municipal utilities and electric cooperatives may have different rules and program availability.

Your community solar subscription must come from a solar garden located within your utility's service territory. This means ComEd customers subscribe to projects in the ComEd territory, while Ameren customers subscribe to Ameren-territory projects. The specific solar garden's location doesn't otherwise affect your bill credits—you'll receive the same value whether the project is 5 miles or 50 miles from your home.

How to Join Community Solar in Illinois

Ready to participate in community solar Illinois programs? The enrollment process is straightforward, but understanding your options and evaluating providers carefully ensures you get the best deal. Here's your step-by-step guide to joining community solar.

Step 1: Verify Your Eligibility

Most Illinois residents with an active electricity account with ComEd or Ameren Illinois are eligible for community solar. To participate, you'll typically need:

• An active utility account in your name
• A recent electricity bill showing your account number and annual usage
• Acceptable credit history (requirements vary by provider)
• Commitment to remaining a subscriber for a minimum term (often 12-24 months, though some programs offer month-to-month options)

Renters are fully eligible for community solar—you don't need to own your home or have permission from a landlord. This makes community solar an excellent option for solar for renters who want clean energy benefits without the complications of rooftop installations.

Step 2: Evaluate Community Solar Providers

Multiple community solar providers operate in Illinois, each offering different terms, pricing structures, and customer experiences. Key factors to evaluate include:

• Discount Rate: Most providers offer a guaranteed percentage discount on the solar credits you receive—typically 10-20% off what you would have paid the utility for the same electricity. Higher discounts mean greater savings.
• Subscription Fee Structure: Some providers charge a fixed monthly fee based on your subscription size. Others use a variable model where you pay for your share of actual production (at a discounted rate). Variable models may offer higher theoretical savings but introduce some month-to-month variability.
• Contract Terms: Review the commitment length, cancellation policies, and any early termination fees. More flexible terms generally favor consumers.
• Credit Check Requirements: Some providers perform credit checks and may reject applicants with poor credit or charge higher rates. Others use no-credit-check enrollment.
• Customer Service Reputation: Look for reviews and ratings from other subscribers. A provider's responsiveness and billing accuracy can significantly affect your experience.

Step 3: Size Your Subscription

Most providers will ask about your annual electricity consumption to appropriately size your subscription. Your recent utility bills or your utility's online portal will show your annual kilowatt-hour (kWh) usage. A typical Illinois household uses 8,000-12,000 kWh annually, though this varies significantly based on home size, heating and cooling systems, and usage habits.

Subscriptions are typically sized to offset a specific percentage of your usage—often 90-100% of your annual consumption. Slightly under-sizing (e.g., 90%) provides a buffer for production variations and ensures you don't accumulate excess credits that may not roll over efficiently.

Step 4: Complete Enrollment

Enrollment typically involves providing your utility account information, contact details, and authorization for the community solar provider to coordinate with your utility on your behalf. This authorization allows the utility to apply credits to your bill and share usage data with the provider for subscription management.

Depending on project timelines, your subscription may begin immediately (if capacity is available in an operating project) or in the future (if you're waitlisted for a project under construction). The timeline from enrollment to first bill credits can range from one to several months.

Step 5: Monitor Your Savings

Once enrolled, you'll receive monthly statements from your community solar provider showing your share of production and the charges for your subscription. Your utility bill will separately show credits for the solar energy attributed to your account. The difference between your utility credit and your subscription payment represents your net savings.

Most providers offer online portals or apps where you can track production, credits, and savings over time. Monitoring your account ensures billing accuracy and helps you understand your clean energy impact.

Financial and Environmental Benefits of Community Solar

Community solar offers a compelling combination of financial savings and environmental benefits, making it attractive to both value-conscious consumers and those motivated by sustainability goals.

Understanding Community Solar Savings

Community solar savings typically range from 5-20% compared to what you would have paid your utility for the same electricity. While this may seem modest compared to the potential savings from owned rooftop solar, several factors make community solar financially attractive:

• No Upfront Investment: Community solar requires zero capital investment. Your savings begin immediately with no payback period to wait through.
• No Maintenance Costs: The solar garden operator handles all equipment maintenance, repairs, and eventual replacement. You never receive an unexpected bill for a failed inverter or panel replacement.
• Guaranteed Savings: Most community solar contracts guarantee a minimum discount, eliminating the production risk that rooftop solar owners face (what if panels underperform?).
• No Property Modifications: Your home remains unchanged, preserving its aesthetics and avoiding any issues with HOAs, historical designations, or future roof work.

For a typical Illinois household using 10,000 kWh annually at an average supply rate of $0.08/kWh, community solar with a 15% discount would save approximately $120 per year—with zero risk, zero investment, and zero hassle.

Environmental Impact

Beyond financial savings, community solar subscribers directly support renewable energy development and reduce carbon emissions. Each kilowatt-hour of solar electricity that your subscription generates displaces a kilowatt-hour that would otherwise come from fossil fuel sources.

The environmental math is compelling. A typical community solar subscription offsetting 10,000 kWh annually prevents approximately 7-8 metric tons of CO2 emissions per year—equivalent to taking one car off the road or planting 100+ trees annually. Over a 20-year subscription, that's 140-160 metric tons of avoided emissions per subscriber.

For subscribers motivated by environmental goals, community solar also supports the broader clean energy transition by demonstrating market demand for renewables and helping finance additional solar development. The U.S. Department of Energy considers community solar a key strategy for expanding clean energy access to all Americans.

Local Economic Benefits

Community solar projects also generate local economic benefits. Solar garden construction creates jobs for electricians, construction workers, and other trades. Landowners who host solar gardens receive lease payments that often exceed what they could earn from traditional agricultural uses. And the operational phase creates ongoing jobs for maintenance and monitoring.

Illinois has seen particularly strong community solar job growth since the passage of CEJA, with the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) estimating thousands of solar jobs in the state. Subscribing to community solar helps support this local clean energy economy.

Choosing a Community Solar Provider: What to Look For

With multiple community solar providers competing for subscribers in Illinois, how do you choose the right one? Here's a detailed look at the factors that matter most when selecting a provider.

Pricing and Discount Structure

The most important financial consideration is the discount rate—what percentage will you save compared to your utility's supply rate? Higher discounts mean greater savings, but also evaluate:

• Discount Guarantee: Is the discount fixed for the contract term, or can it change? Fixed discounts provide certainty.
• Rate Escalators: Some contracts include annual price increases. A 15% discount with 3% annual escalators may become a worse deal than a fixed 12% discount over time.
• Calculation Methodology: Understand whether the discount applies to the utility's current rate at each billing period or a fixed reference rate established at enrollment.

Contract Flexibility

Life circumstances change—you may move, your energy needs may shift, or you may simply find a better deal. Evaluate contract flexibility:

• Term Length: Shorter terms offer more flexibility but may come with lower discounts. Balance your preference for flexibility against savings potential.
• Cancellation Policy: What notice is required to cancel? Are there early termination fees? How much are they?
• Transferability: If you move within the same utility territory, can you transfer your subscription to your new address? If you move out of territory, can you assign your subscription to someone else?

Provider Reputation and Stability

Community solar subscriptions typically run for years, so provider stability matters. Research potential providers:

• Customer Reviews: Search for reviews on Google, Yelp, the Better Business Bureau, and social media. Look for patterns in complaints or praise.
• Company Track Record: How long has the provider been operating? How many subscribers do they have? Are they backed by reputable investors?
• Billing Accuracy: Incorrect bills are a common complaint in community solar. Look for providers with reputations for accurate, understandable billing.

Customer Service Quality

When questions or issues arise, responsive customer service makes a significant difference. Evaluate:

• Contact Options: Can you reach support by phone, email, and chat? Are wait times reasonable?
• Online Portal: Does the provider offer a user-friendly online portal for account management, billing history, and production tracking?
• Responsiveness: Test customer service before enrolling—call with questions and see how you're treated.

Low-Income Program Availability

If you qualify for low-income programs (generally household income below 80% of area median income), seek providers specifically offering these enhanced programs. Low-income community solar subscriptions in Illinois often provide 50% or greater discounts, dramatically amplifying savings. The Illinois Solar for All program maintains resources for qualifying subscribers.

Common Questions About Community Solar

As community solar has grown, certain questions come up repeatedly. Here are answers to the most common concerns:

Do I Still Need My Utility?

Yes—community solar doesn't replace your utility relationship. Your utility still delivers electricity to your home, maintains the grid infrastructure, and sends you monthly bills. Community solar credits simply reduce the supply portion of your bill. You remain a utility customer and continue to pay delivery charges.

What Happens During Cloudy Days or at Night?

Community solar credits are applied on a monthly basis, so production fluctuations throughout the day don't affect you directly. During cloudy periods or at night, the grid supplies your home with electricity as usual. Your monthly credit reflects the total solar production attributed to your subscription, regardless of when it was generated.

Can I Participate If I Already Have Rooftop Solar?

Generally yes, though the value proposition may be limited. If your rooftop solar already offsets most of your utility consumption, there may be little remaining consumption for community solar credits to offset. However, if your rooftop system only partially meets your needs, community solar can help cover the remainder.

What Happens If the Solar Garden Underperforms?

Reputable community solar providers guarantee a minimum production level or credit amount. If the solar garden underperforms due to equipment issues, weather, or other factors, your contractual discount should still apply to whatever credits you receive. In extreme cases of prolonged underperformance, contract terms typically allow you to exit without penalty.

How Is Community Solar Different from Buying RECs?

Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) represent the environmental attributes of renewable energy production but don't affect your electricity bill or provide savings. Community solar actually attributes solar production to your account, resulting in bill credits and real savings. For more on RECs, see our article on Renewable Energy Certificates explained.

The Future of Community Solar

Community solar is one of the fastest-growing segments of the solar market, and its future looks bright. Industry analysts project that the U.S. community solar market will triple in size over the coming decade, driven by policy support, declining solar costs, and increasing consumer demand for clean energy options.

In Illinois, the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act significantly expanded the state's commitment to community solar. New program capacity is being added annually, and developers are actively building projects to meet growing demand. Low-income program expansion is a particular priority, with the goal of ensuring all Illinoisans can access clean energy savings regardless of housing situation or income level.

Innovations in the community solar space include pairing solar gardens with battery storage, integrating agrivoltaics (combining solar with agriculture), and developing projects on brownfields and other challenging sites. Virtual power plant concepts are enabling community solar projects to provide grid services beyond just generating energy.

For consumers, these trends mean more options, competitive pricing, and innovative program designs in the years ahead. If you've been considering community solar, there's never been a better time to explore your options.

Conclusion: Clean Energy for Everyone

Community solar represents a fundamental shift in how we think about clean energy access. No longer is solar power limited to homeowners with perfect roofs and deep pockets. Through community solar, renters, apartment dwellers, and anyone without suitable rooftop access can participate in and benefit from the solar revolution.

Solar for renters is no longer an oxymoron. Community solar makes it a reality, delivering guaranteed savings, environmental benefits, and the satisfaction of supporting clean energy—all with zero upfront cost, no equipment to maintain, and the flexibility to adapt as your life circumstances change.

If you're an Illinois resident interested in clean energy and lower electricity bills, community solar deserves your serious consideration. Research providers, compare terms, and take the step toward participation. The sun is shining—and thanks to community solar, everyone can benefit from its energy.