Community Solar Gardens Xcel

The xcel report says energy from a solar garden costs them between 110 to 125 per megawatt hour while a larger utility scale solar project costs about 40 for the same power.

Community solar gardens xcel.

The minnesota legislature established an option for customers of xcel energy to support community solar also referred to as solar gardens or solar farms. The electricity produced is fed to the grid and credited to a subscriber s xcel energy account. It s credited at a rate similar to xcel charges its customers but gives the opportunity to reduce their. Community solar gardens first approved in colorado in 2010 are centralized arrays of solar panels that users subscribe to.

Under the current system xcel energy asks for proposals for. Community solar gardens csg allow people to support renewable energy through membership. Solar rewards community developer resources. Even now xcel reports minnesota s community solar gardens currently have around 19 000 subscribers but the commercial and industrial clients represent 86 of their capacity.

Xcel energy is the biggest utility in minnesota covering most of the population and is the only utility that has a legislation backed community solar program. Csgs are large arrays located in sunny open areas. Community solar gardens are by far xcel s largest form of competition xcel currently buys power from solar gardens at 13 5 cents per kilowatt hour on average. The community solar gardens csg program is available to any electric customer of xcel energy.

Under its renewable energy plan trammell said xcel will increase community solar garden offerings with 170 megawatts of capacity available by the end of 2021. Many people want to support renewable energy as a way to help the environment. Xcel energy customers can participate in projects offered by private developers. Solar power from xcel s existing.

Advocates say changes are needed to. Xcel energy community solar gardens program.