Frequently Asked Questions

Community Solar FAQ

What are the benefits of Community Solar?
  • Save money on annual electricity costs
  • Support clean energy
  • Suitable for anyone with a utility bill — zero equipment or installation required
  • Sign up for free!
What is Community Solar?

Community Solar is a state-supported clean energy program that gives local businesses and residents shared access to solar and its benefits 100% virtually. By subscribing to a Community Solar project, you can reduce your carbon footprint and electricity costs without making any changes to your rooftop, home, or utility account. Community Solar is a great option for homeowners and renters alike who are interested in a flexible way to support clean energy.

Where is Community Solar available with Altus?

Altus Power currently has community solar projects in 8 different states. We have projects operating in Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, and Maine.

How does Community Solar work?
  • Community Solar projects are remote, meaning that there is no equipment installed on your home. The solar energy that the project produces is sent directly into your local power grid.
  • Community Solar projects have multiple subscribers, each given their own share of the project’s total energy output. Subscribers must have the same utility the project is connected to. The size of your share is determined by your historic energy usage.
  • Utilities track the clean solar energy sent to the grid using something we call a Solar Credit. Solar credits represent the clean energy produced and are distributed to a project’s subscribed customers every month.
  • Solar credits offset your electric bill charges, reducing what you pay the utility. Our Community Solar subscribers pay Altus for their monthly solar credits at a discounted rate — this is how you save on your electric bill!
  • As a subscribed customer, you will continue to see savings on your utility bill for the lifetime of the project, or until cancellation.
How does Community Solar billing work?
  • Once enrolled, solar credits will be added to your electric utility account monthly.
  • Solar credits applied offset your utility bill and show up as a deduction to your total charges. Solar credits are usually listed as a “transfer” or “adjustment,” but the format will vary depending on the utility.
  • Each month, you will also receive a bill from Altus Power. Your Altus contract will list your specific savings percentage. If your contract is for a 20% discount, for every $1.00 solar credit applied to your electric bill, you will owe $0.80 back to Altus. You must pay both bills.
  • Example: Your electricity charges this month total $150 and you receive $100 in solar credits. Your adjusted utility bill now totals $50. You save 20% on your solar credits, so Altus bills you $80. Your new total is $130 instead of $150 – a savings of $20!
  • If your account is on Utility-Consolidated Billing, you will not receive two bills. You'll see your adjusted solar discount on your regular electric bill, and you'll pay it as usual.
How are Credits Calculated?
  • A customer’s subscription is calculated based on their annual electricity usage.
  • Due to seasonality, your solar credits might fluctuate throughout the year from very high in the summer to low in the winter. This is because there is more sun in the summer months, meaning more solar energy (and credits) will be generated, on average, than in the winter.
  • It’s possible that your solar credits will offset over 100% of your utility bill. In this case your utility bill will be $0, and any excess credits will be banked on your account. Banked credits do not expire and will automatically be applied to future bills.
  • If you believe that your annual electricity usage has changed substantially, or you are continuing to see a buildup of solar credits on your account, please contact our customer service team so we can adjust the size of your subscription.
What if I move?
  • If you are moving, please reach out to our customer experience team in advance at hello@altuspower.com.
  • If your new home is with the same utility, let us know your updated address and account number, and we will transfer your Community Solar subscription to your new address as quickly as possible.
  • If not, you might qualify for a different Altus community solar project. Otherwise, we can reach out to you if new projects become available in your area.
What if I want to cancel?
  • If you would like to cancel, please contact our customer service team at hello@altuspower.com
  • Once we receive your request, we will initiate the cancelation process to remove your account from the project list. This requires action from your utility and can take a few billing periods for the utility to fully process your cancelation.
  • During this period, you will continue to receive solar credits on your utility bill. Once your cancelation is complete, you will receive no new solar credits on your account.
  • Any excess or banked solar credits on your account will automatically be applied to future bills. Banked solar credits will not expire.
How much money am I saving?

Depending on where you are located, the savings you will receive from our Community Solar program will vary. Refer to your contract for your specific savings.

How does Altus Power use my personal information?

Altus Power's mission is to create a clean electrification ecosystem across the country. Central to this mission is our commitment to being transparent about the data we collect about you. Altus Power does not sell any customer data. Instead, all data collected is to provide accurate savings information to customers and improve the accuracy of future estimates.

For a detailed description, please review our Privacy Policy which applies when you sign-up for our services

Why does Altus Power offer me a discount?

Altus Power develops Community Solar projects toward the goal of making renewable energy more accessible. Community Solar programs allow us to sell the energy we produce at a higher rate than we could have if we were just selling it directly to utilities, creating a win-win for Altus and our customers.

When customers subscribe, they will receive solar credits on their utility bill for the energy. The solar credits that customers receive are valued at a higher rate than the solar credits that Altus would directly receive. We share those profits with our customers by charging for the solar credits at a discount, leaving them with a portion of these solar credits. These remaining solar credits result in a savings on their utility bills.

Currently enrolled customers with questions should check their contracts for all terms and conditions.  
And if you need assistance our customer team is ready to help at hello@altuspower.com

Request Information

If you are interested in enrolling in Community Solar or have a location for a Community Solar Farm opportunity, drop us a note and our customer team will follow-up.

Thank you for reaching out. Our Community Solar team will contact you shortly.
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