solar panels Archives | Citizens Utility Board

Solar Landscape: CUB’s evaluation of Solar Landscape’s community solar offer

Elizabeth — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 21:09:55 +0000

This is an evaluation of Solar Landscape’s community solar offering. If you are not already familiar with community solar, we recommend reading CUB’s Introduction to Community Solar first. How will signing up for the Solar Landscape community solar offer affect my electric bill? Solar Landscape will look at your annual electricity usage history to determine your community solar subscription size, which is measured in kilowatts (kW). Once your subscription is activated, each month, your subscription will produce solar energy, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). The supply section of your electric utility bill will be credited for what your subscription produced that month. Solar Landscape offers consolidated billing, meaning they are able to charge you for those solar credits right on your electric bill, but with a 20% discount applied. So, rather than paying your electric utility for that clean energy you are paying Solar Landscape, at a discounted rate. Example: Say you are currently paying your electric utility 10 cents/kWh. Through Solar Landscape’s community solar, you will be paying 8 cents/kWh (20% discount on the supply) for any electricity produced by the farm. Your subscription size is designed to provide credits for your full electricity usage for the year, though there will be changes in your subscription’s energy production from month to month. For example, your subscription will produce less in winter, but more in summer, and your credits from the summer will rollover to help cover your electricity usage in winter. What about alternative suppliers? All customers, regardless of their alternative electricity supplier, can now receive solar bill credits as part of a community solar program. Learn more about alternative suppliers for consumers in ComEd territory and Ameren territory. What does CUB think about this offer? Community solar allows more Illinois consumers to access the benefits of clean energy, and CUB is pleased to see more offers hit the market. This offer includes a 20% savings discount, which is on the higher end of the range. It also offers consolidated billing, meaning everything will be on the ComEd bill. We recommend comparing multiple offers and reading your contract thoroughly before signing up. We have also heard reports of door-to-door marketing. We recommend accepting marketing materials so that you can do more research later, rather than signing up at the door. This chart summarizes key points about the deal: What utility territory does the company serve? ComEd. Does the company offer savings? Yes, 20% supply savings. Is there a credit check when I sign up? No. What is the contract term? 5 years with 2-year auto renewal Is there an “exit fee” for leaving the contract early? None. What are my billing options? Consolidated Billing. How do I contact them? help@solarlandscape-support.com (888) 595-3990 * Your payment is equal to the value of bill credits, assuming the default electricity supply charge with your utility, minus your discount percentage. When will my subscription go live? When will I start to see credits on my utility bill? You should only be charged by your community solar company once you start receiving utility bill credits. When that is depends on when your subscribed community solar project is interconnected to […]

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Solar Simplified: CUB’s evaluation of Solar Simplified IL Solar for All community solar offer

Elizabeth — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 20:32:23 +0000

Solar Simplified is a community solar company offering subscriptions to income-eligible Ameren customers, through the Solar for All program. If you are not already familiar with community solar, we recommend reading CUB’s Introduction to Community Solar first. Learn more about Solar for All. How will signing up for the Solar Simplified community solar offer affect my electric bill? Solar Simplified will look at your annual electricity usage history to determine your community solar subscription size, which is measured in kilowatts (kW). Once your subscription is activated, each month, your subscription will produce solar energy, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). The supply section of your electric utility bill will be credited for what your subscription produced that month. Solar Simplified offers consolidated billing, meaning they are able to charge you for those solar credits right on your electric bill, but with a 50% discount applied. So, rather than paying your electric utility for that clean energy you are paying Solar Simplified, at a discounted rate. Example: Say you are currently paying your electric utility 10 cents/kWh. Through Solar Simplified community solar, you will be paying 5 cents/kWh (50% discount on the supply) for any electricity produced by the farm. Your subscription size is designed to provide credits for your full electricity usage for the year, though there will be changes in your subscription’s energy production from month to month. For example, your subscription will produce less in winter, but more in summer, and your credits from the summer will rollover to help cover your electricity usage in winter. What about alternative suppliers? All customers, regardless of their alternative electricity supplier, can now receive solar bill credits as part of a community solar program. Learn more about alternative suppliers for consumers in ComEd territory and Ameren territory. What does CUB think about this offer? Community solar allows more Illinois consumers to access the benefits of clean energy, and CUB is pleased to see more offers hit the market. Solar Simplified specifically offers deals through Solar for All. Solar for All is Illinois’ income-eligible solar program. Use this tool to see if you qualify. This chart summarizes key points about the deal: What utility territory does the company serve? Ameren. Does the company offer savings? Yes, 50%. Is there a credit check when I sign up? TBC What is the contract term? TBC Is there an “exit fee” for leaving the contract early? None. What are my billing options? Consolidated Billing. How do I contact them? (888) 420-9831, cs@solarsimplified.com *Your payment is equal to the value of bill credits, assuming the default electricity supply charge with your utility, minus your discount percentage. When will my subscription go live? When will I start to see credits on my utility bill? You should only be charged by your community solar company once you start receiving utility bill credits. When that is depends on when your subscribed community solar project is interconnected to the utility grid. You can find the month the company expects your subscription to go live in the “Subscription Specifications” section of the Standard Disclosure Form provided to you (if you weren’t provided a Standard Disclosure Form, that’s a problem […]

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Solstice: CUB’s evaluation of Solstice’s community solar offer

Hannah — Tue, 16 Mar 2021 19:06:30 +0000

Solstice offers both market rate and income-eligible community solar deals. If you are not already familiar with community solar, we recommend reading CUB’s Introduction to Community Solar first. Learn more about Solar for All. How will signing up for the Solstice community solar offer affect my electric bill? Solstice will look at your annual electricity usage history to determine your community solar subscription size, which is measured in kilowatts (kW). Once your subscription is activated, each month, your subscription will produce solar energy, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). The supply section of your electric utility bill will be credited for what your subscription produced that month. Then, Solstice will charge you for those credits in a separate solar bill, but with a 20-60% discount applied. So, rather than paying your electric utility for that clean energy you are paying Solstice, at a discounted rate. Even though you are now receiving two bills, you should be saving money overall. Example: Say you are currently paying your electric utility 10 cents/kWh. Through Solstice community solar, you will be paying 5 cents/kWh (50% discount on the supply) for any electricity produced by the farm. Solstice works within IL Shines, the market rate program, and Illinois Solar for All (ILSFA), the income-eligible program. The discount rate you receive will depend on your income. If you are subscribed to a newer ILSFA farm, you may receive consolidated billing, meaning everything will show up on your utility bill. Your subscription size is designed to provide credits for your full electricity usage for the year, though there will be changes in your subscription’s energy production from month to month. For example, your subscription will produce less in winter, but more in summer, and your credits from the summer will rollover to help cover your electricity usage in winter. What about alternative suppliers? All customers, regardless of their alternative electricity supplier, can now receive solar bill credits as part of a community solar program. Learn more about alternative suppliers for consumers in ComEd territory and Ameren territory. What does CUB think about this offer? Community solar allows more Illinois consumers to access the benefits of clean energy, and CUB is pleased to see more offers hit the market. Solstice offers at least a 20% discount rate, which is on the higher end of the range. They also offer farms through ILSFA. You can find out which discount rate you would qualify for at Solstice’s website. We recommend comparing multiple offers and reading your contract thoroughly before signing up. This chart summarizes key points about the Solstice deal: What utility territory does the company serve? Ameren and ComEd. Does the company offer savings? Yes. Solstice offers 20-60% savings, depending on eligibility. Is there a credit check when I sign up? Yes, with some offers. Make sure to confirm when signing up. What is the contract term? 15-20 years, depending on the program. Is there an “exit fee” for leaving the contract early? None (Solstice requires 90 days’ written notice) What are my billing options? Utility Consolidated Billing or Dual Bill with Autopay, depending on the project. *Your payment is equal to the value […]

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Solarize Chicagoland to Install 80 Solar Arrays

Hannah — Fri, 06 Nov 2020 16:32:53 +0000

The Solarize Chicagoland program surpassed its goals this summer, achieving commitments to install more than 580 kilowatts (kW) of solar on 80 properties in the Chicago area. The Citizens Utility Board (CUB) and Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) launched this solar group buy program in April, and the program’s participation deadline was September 30. Windfree Solar, based in Chicago, was selected through a competitive process as solar installer for program participants. In their first year of operation, Solarize Chicagoland’s newly-installed solar arrays will offset emissions equivalent to approximately 550,000 pounds of coal burned. Collectively, customers will also save an estimated $79,000 in electric bills in the first year alone. “Over the last couple years my husband and I have really been thinking about our energy usage. When we first moved into the house we installed a smart thermostat, last year we bought an electric vehicle,” said Chicago resident and participant, Katie Aquino. “The fact that Windfree was a local company taking part in a local program was a selling point when we were deciding which company to go with.” Solarize Chicagoland used the power of volume purchasing to make solar more accessible and affordable for home, business and farm owners in Cook, DuPage, Kane and Will Counties. The 2020 program builds on last year’s successful program, which resulted in new solar systems on 124 properties. “When the program launched this year, we didn’t know exactly what it would look like. While the solar industry experienced a slow down earlier this year due to COVID, unfortunately many things, like the phasing out of the federal solar tax credit, are not put on hold. We are happy that we could modify the program, make it virtual, and still get solar information out to so many homeowners in the Chicago area,” said Christina Uzzo, CUB Environmental Outreach Coordinator. Oak Park resident Eric Otto had looked into going solar two years ago, and the group buy pricing made it possible for him to make the switch this year. “Over the long term, the financial benefits are a no-brainer, but the environmental benefits also interest us. From day one when you turn it on, we really like the idea of getting our energy from a renewable source. That was really appealing to us,” said Otto. Navigating the solar market can be intimidating, creating barriers for solar adoption. To help break down those barriers, the program directly educated 521 residents about solar through 27 free, public, one-hour informational sessions called Solar Power Hours. “The presentations provided folks with the information they needed to determine whether solar is right for them,” said Peter Murphy, Solar Program Director for the MREA. “Our goal, and CUB has been very helpful to achieve it, is to provide clear and thorough consumer education, and couple that information with a purchasing opportunity at a lower-than-market rate.” “At Windfree, it has always been our mission to educate our community and future leaders about renewable energy, going green, and going solar. Solarize Chicagoland assisted greatly in our ability to reach a greater volume of people who are like-minded,” said Adam Perri, head of project […]

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Sunscription (US Solar): CUB’s evaluation of a new community solar offer

Hannah — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 17:10:07 +0000

This is an evaluation of Sunscription’s (US Solar) community solar offering. (If you are not already familiar with community solar, we recommend reading our Introduction to Community Solar first.) How will signing up for this community solar offer affect my electric bill? Sunscription will look at your energy usage history to determine your subscription size, measured in kilowatts (kW). Each month your subscription will produce solar energy, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh). Once the community solar project you are assigned to is completed, your monthly electric bill will be reduced by the community solar bill credits your subscription produces. You will also pay a second monthly bill to Sunscription. Even though you are now receiving two bills, you will still save money overall. On your utility bill you will see a credit for your community solar subscription. Sunscription will bill you for the energy generated by your subscription, with a 17% or 20% discount applied, depending on the billing option you select. That’s where the savings come in. The total amount you save monthly will vary as the solar production of your subscription varies. What about alternative suppliers? All customers, regardless of their alternative electricity supplier, can now receive solar bill credits as part of a community solar program. Click here to learn more about alternative suppliers for consumers in ComEd territory and Ameren territory. What does CUB think about this offer? Community solar allows more Illinois consumers to support renewable energy, and CUB is pleased to see more offers hit the market. We recommend comparing multiple offers and understanding all the terms before signing up for community solar. Always read your contract thoroughly. This chart summarizes key points about the Sunscription deal: What utility territory does the company serve? Ameren and ComEd. Does the company offer savings? Yes. Sunscription offers 17% or 20% off the utility default supply rate for the community solar bill credits you receive, depending on the billing option you select. Is there a credit check when I sign up? None What is the contract term? 20 years. However, you may end the contract at any time. Sunscription requires 90 days’ notice of cancellation. Is there an “exit fee” for leaving the contract early? None. Sunscription requires 90 days’ notice of cancellation. What are my billing options? Sunscription only offers automatic payments. Customers who select ACH payments will save 20% on the energy generated by their subscriptions, while customers on automatic debit or credit card payments will save 17%. When will my subscription go live? When will I start to see credits on my utility bill? This depends on when the community solar garden to which you are assigned is completed. Sunscription says that most new subscribers will begin earning solar credits in the next 3-6 months, or sooner if there is availability in operating solar gardens. The Community Solar Standard Disclosure Form you receive from Sunscription/US Solar includes the month they expect your subscription to go live in the “Subscription Specifications” section. Once you sign up you can also check your customer portal for updates on your project. What happens if I move? If you move within your current utility territory you can take your community solar subscription with you. If […]

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The power of solar! CUB alerts consumers to affordable solar program, as Sept. 30 deadline nears

Jennifer — Wed, 04 Sep 2019 18:00:13 +0000

The sun may have been setting over Evanston one recent evening, but the crowd gathered at the local civic center wanted to learn all about how solar power could reduce their electric bills and their carbon footprint with the help of a program called Solarize Chicagoland. “There’s a lot of energy around solar right now, no pun intended,” said CUB volunteer Jessica Sieja, who led the Evanston crowd through one of the 66 “Solar Power Hours” that CUB has helped organize this year to educate people about Solarize Chicagoland. This is the ideal year to go solar in Illinois. Never before has the state had so many attractive incentives for people interested in going solar—including a 30 percent federal tax credit and an additional state incentive that can cover up to 35 percent of installation costs. And solar is made even more accessible and affordable through the Solarize Chicagoland program—but time is running out. Customers only have until Sept. 30 to sign up. Here’s how the program works: Residents and small businesses who sign up for the program participate in a bulk group-purchase of solar panels. Through a competitive bidding process earlier this year, one installer, GRNE Solar, was chosen to install panels at each participant’s home at a reduced rate. Participants get additional discounts on the installation costs as Solarize Chicagoland reaches certain goals. The current program is only open to people who live in Cook, Kane, DuPage and Will counties. The four counties are partnering with the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) and CUB to make the program possible. Interested property owners have until Sept. 30 to sign up. For more information, visit SolarizeChicagoland.com, where you can watch a webinar on the program. CUB’s Christina Uzzo has spent the year helping to explain the program, discussing the projected costs of installing solar and highlighting these incentives: Solar Renewable Energy Credits: Thanks to Illinois’ Future Energy Jobs Act, passed in 2016, the state will purchase the “Solar Renewable Energy Credits,” or SRECs, that your system produces at a set dollar amount. SRECs allow you to sell the environmental value of the solar power you produce—you earn one SREC for every 1,000 kilowatt-hours. For residential solar, this incentive is an upfront payment determined by how much energy your system is expected to produce over 15 years. This could cover up to 35 percent of your installation costs. The Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit: This tax credit lets you deduct 30 percent of your solar project costs from your federal taxes. The credit is available through 2019, but it drops to 26 percent in 2020 and 22 percent in 2021. On-bill Credits from your Electric Utility: Once you have installed your system, you will not always be using 100 percent of the electricity it produces in real time. Excess electricity is sent back to the grid and you’ll receive bill credits for that electricity in a process called “net metering.” These credits help maximize your monthly bill savings and ensure you’re credited for every kilowatt-hour (kWh) your system produces, which helps pay off the remaining installation costs faster. “At CUB, we are very […]

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No such thing as free solar panels (but they can be affordable!)

Megan — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 14:27:51 +0000

CLAIM: You can get free solar panels installed on your roof! FACT: Some companies offer solar panel installation for no money down, but it’s not exactly free—you’ll be renting the panels, monthly, for the term of the lease, which is usually 20 years. CUB RECOMMENDS: Explore all of your options. While leasing may make sense for some homeowners, buying your solar system outright could end up being much more cost-effective. _________________________________________________________________ For several months now, we’ve been getting reports of door-to-door salespeople pitching “free” or “no money down” solar panels to homeowners all over Chicagoland. Sounds great! But are these offers legit? In general, any company that says they’ll install “free solar panels” on your roof is actually offering a solar lease. Yes, the solar panels will be installed on your home for no money down, but you will have to pay the leasing company every month to lease the panels, and those leases typically last 20 years. Leases we’ve seen also include a provision allowing the company to raise the lease rate by 2.9% every year. If you lease your solar panels, you are not eligible for the Federal Tax Credit or Illinois Shines incentive programs. Combined, these two credits can help you pay off up to 60% of your installation cost within one year of your panels being connected to the grid. In many cases this reduces the payback time to five to seven years. Within that time frame, your monthly electricity bill savings will have recouped the remaining cost of the panels. With a solar lease, you will never see a return on investment, and do not see the full benefit of the monthly energy savings. Most people will pay more over the lifetime of a solar lease than if they purchased and financed a system. There are many low interest loans available to help you finance the upfront cost of solar. Check Energy Sage’s explanation of solar loans, and list of providers for more information. The most active solar leasing company in Illinois right now is Sunrun, an outfit out of California that has been selling and leasing solar panels for several years. Sunrun peddles its leases door-to-door, often through third-party companies like Chicago Clean Energy Authority and Sun N Us. They’re also at Costco stores, and have even partnered with Comcast to market their offer to Xfinity customers. We’ve also heard of another company, called Vivint, marketing solar leases in the area. There are likely more. So is leasing a good deal? Well, it depends. Back when solar panels cost more, and there weren’t state and federal incentives available to make rooftop solar systems more affordable, solar leasing was often a homeowner’s only feasible option. But now the price of solar panels is less than half of what it was 10 years ago. Plus, as we point out above, a combination of federal and state incentives can reduce the cost of a solar system on your property by up to two-thirds. Before you sign a solar lease, find out how much it would cost to buy your system outright, and, if necessary, finance it. Many […]

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The forecast is sunny for La Grange principal’s electric bills

Jennifer — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 21:57:40 +0000

When Tim Sheldon moved to La Grange from a multi-unit building in Chicago two years ago, he finally got the opportunity to install solar panels, something he had been interested in for years. “In one hour the sun showers us with enough energy to power us for a year, we just don’t harness it,” the elementary school principal told CUB. His installation on the back of his roof, which faces east, has been up and running since October of last year. It comprises 19 300-watt panels for 5.7 kilowatts (kW) of power, which covers about 100 percent of his family’s energy needs. Sheldon expects the solar installation to be on his roof for 25 years, but he figures it will pay for itself in only 5 to 7 years, so “everything after that is free money.” Sheldon is still a ComEd customer, and pays a customer charge like everyone else. But he has net metering, which means he only pays for any power he pulls from the grid above and beyond the power his panels added to the grid. Net metering works like rollover minutes on your mobile phone, Sheldon says. In summer his panels produce three to four times more than in the winter, so the power he put onto the grid in July goes toward his winter electric bills. In effect, he can run his meter backward. If that sounds complicated, don’t worry. Installing rooftop solar involves getting bids just like any other home improvement project. Just as a contractor putting an addition onto your house includes things like permitting into the bid, a solar contractor will also handle connecting the panels to the grid and setting up net metering for you. “It cost about $15,000, which sounds like a lot, but it’s money I’d be paying anyway from the standpoint of paying my electric bill,” he said. The substantial state and federal incentives reduced his cost from $15,000 down to $5,000, he said, and net metering helps cover the rest. Sheldon says that even people who don’t have $15,000 to pay up front can still benefit from solar, either by working out a payment plan with the solar company, leasing the panels, or participating in Community Solar. Another benefit is that rooftop solar increases the value of your home without increasing your property tax. In July 2017, Chicago magazine cited two studies showing that solar panels add value to homes. One study, by the Appraisal Institute and the U.S. Department of Energy, found an added value of almost $3,800 for every kilowatt of solar panels. “It makes not only environmental sense, but economic sense,” Sheldon said.

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