{"id":23428,"date":"2019-11-05T05:52:13","date_gmt":"2019-11-05T11:52:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/?p=23428"},"modified":"2020-06-30T11:46:39","modified_gmt":"2020-06-30T16:46:39","slug":"the-facts-on-arcadia-powers-community-solar-offer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/blog\/2019\/11\/05\/the-facts-on-arcadia-powers-community-solar-offer\/","title":{"rendered":"The facts on Arcadia Power\u2019s community solar offer"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>

Here is a sample of a mailer you may have received from Arcadia. Click on the image to see the full image.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

Did you receive a mailing from Arcadia Power, touting community solar?\u00a0 Have you seen\u00a0Arcadia\u2019s advertisements online? Consumers from across Illinois are asking CUB lots of\u00a0questions about Arcadia\u2019s offer.\u00a0 We\u2019ll try to break it down below.<\/span><\/p>\n

What is \u201ccommunity solar\u201d?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Community solar\u00a0is an exciting new program in Illinois that can help reduce your electric\u00a0bill while supporting the development of new solar projects.\u00a0 Thanks to a 2016 law, the\u00a0Future Energy Jobs Act, community solar allows ComEd and Ameren customers to now \u201cgo\u00a0solar\u201d without actually installing panels on their property. Under the program, you can\u00a0subscribe to a portion of the electricity produced by a solar installation\u2014called a community\u00a0solar garden\u2014and in return, receive credits that reduce your electric bill.<\/span><\/p>\n

Community solar is just getting off the ground in Illinois, but we expect many projects to\u00a0come online later in 2020. Before community solar developers can connect the garden to\u00a0the grid, they need to secure a certain number of subscribers. Community solar companies\u00a0are signing people up in advance for when their solar gardens go live later this year.<\/span><\/p>\n

Arcadia\u2019s website talks about more than just community solar. What type of company\u00a0are they?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Arcadia is an energy brokerage company\u2014a for-profit business that offers to manage your\u00a0electricity supply needs. They offer a variety of products like retail supply brokerage, wind\u00a0energy offsets (provided via Renewable Energy Credits), and they now offer community\u00a0solar.<\/span><\/p>\n

How will signing up for the Arcadia community solar offer affect my electric bill?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

To participate in Arcadia\u2019s offer, you must first connect your utility and billing information. To\u00a0do that, you must have an online account with your utility (ComEd or Ameren) and enter\u00a0your login info (username and password) into Arcadia\u2019s online system.\u00a0Once you\u2019ve signed up with Arcadia, your bill email will be redirected to Arcadia, and you\u00a0will stop receiving bills from your utility. Instead, you will receive a monthly statement from\u00a0Arcadia.\u00a0This monthly statement will combine your utility bill and the Renewable Energy\u00a0Certificates (RECs) that Arcadia purchases on your behalf.<\/span><\/p>\n

Arcadia will use your energy usage history to determine your community solar subscription\u00a0size. You can think of your subscription size as how many panels you are subscribing to,\u00a0and it is measured in kilowatts (kW). Each month your subscription will produce solar\u00a0energy, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Once the community solar project you are assigned to is completed, your monthly Arcadia\u00a0statement will also indicate the amount of money you are saving from your community solar\u00a0subscription. The total amount you are saving monthly will vary as the solar production of\u00a0your subscription varies. Until your project is completed, Arcadia will estimate your\u00a0community solar savings and apply credits to your bills based on that estimate.<\/span><\/p>\n

All Arcadia members receive wind RECs (Renewable Energy Credits) to cover 50 percent of their\u00a0electricity usage at no additional cost. A REC represents the environmental benefit of\u00a0renewable energy.<\/span><\/p>\n

Is the deal any good?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Although CUB has not yet spoken with anyone who has signed up, we have had\u00a0discussions with Arcadia and learned details of its offer.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Questions about Arcadia’s offer:<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\nAnswers:\u00a0<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
How much will I save?<\/span><\/td>\nArcadia offers 10 percent savings compared to the default\u00a0utility supply rate for the solar energy produced each\u00a0month. This will not necessarily reduce your full supply\u00a0cost by 10 percent, as some months you may use more\u00a0energy than your community solar subscription\u00a0generates.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
NOTE: Other community solar deals offer 20% savings. Visit\u00a0www.SolarInTheCommunity.com to see CUB\u2019s analysis of other deals available in\u00a0Illinois.
\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
What are the sign up requirements?<\/span><\/td>\nYou must have online account credentials with\u00a0your utility and enter those credentials into\u00a0Arcadia\u2019s website.\u00a0To add community solar to your Arcadia account,\u00a0you must sign up for automatic bill-pay.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Is there a credit check?<\/span><\/td>\nNo<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
How will I be billed?<\/span><\/td>\nArcadia\u2019s statements will replace your utility\u2019s bills. When you are with Arcadia, you will no longer receive\u00a0an emailed version of your bill from your electric utility\u00a0(ComEd or Ameren).<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
What’s the contract term?<\/span><\/td>\nNo contract term, you can cancel at any time.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Is there an “exit fee” for leaving the contract early?<\/span><\/td>\nNo<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n


\n<\/span>What does CUB think about the Arcadia offer?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Community solar allows more Illinois consumers to enjoy the benefits of renewable energy,\u00a0and CUB is pleased to see these offers hit the market. However, we think that requiring\u00a0customers to turn their utility account credentials over to Arcadia will be a barrier for\u00a0customers who don\u2019t have online accounts. Additionally, Arcadia promises 10 percent savings\u00a0over your utility\u2019s energy supply price, but other community solar companies are offering\u00a020 percent savings. <\/span><\/p>\n

Visit www.SolarInTheCommunity.com<\/a><\/strong> to see CUB\u2019s analysis of other deals\u00a0available in Illinois.<\/span><\/p>\n

What if I am with an alternative electric supplier?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Alternative suppliers are almost always overcharging you and will compromise your\u00a0community solar savings. If you are with an alternative electric supplier, Arcadia will walk\u00a0you through how to cancel that plan before you are enrolled in community solar. Even if you\u00a0aren\u2019t on community solar, alternate supplier deals are almost always bad deals. (Read our\u00a0fact sheets on electric competition, for\u00a0ComEd customers\u00a0and\u00a0Ameren customers.)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When will my subscription go live?<\/span><\/strong> When will I start to see credits on my utility bill?<\/strong>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

This depends on which community solar garden Arcadia assigns you to and when it is\u00a0completed. The Community Solar Standard Disclosure Form you receive from Arcadia\u00a0includes the month your subscription is expected to go live in the \u201cSubscription\u00a0Specifications\u201d section. Once you sign up with you can also check your customer portal for\u00a0updates on your project.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Can I sign up for Arcadia\u2019s offer and ComEd\u2019s Hourly Pricing program?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

No. If you are enrolled in Arcadia\u2019s community solar program you cannot participate in\u00a0hourly pricing with ComEd or Power Smart Pricing from Ameren.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

How do I sign up?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

To enroll in community solar with Arcadia visit this website<\/a><\/strong>.
\n<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

Have you signed up for Arcadia\u2019s community solar program?\u00a0 Let us know about your experience!<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Did you receive a mailing from Arcadia Power, touting community solar?\u00a0 Have you seen\u00a0Arcadia\u2019s advertisements online? Consumers from across Illinois are asking CUB lots of\u00a0questions about Arcadia\u2019s offer.\u00a0 We\u2019ll try to break it down below. What is \u201ccommunity solar\u201d? Community solar\u00a0is an exciting new program in Illinois that can help reduce your electric\u00a0bill while supporting the development of new solar projects.\u00a0 Thanks to a 2016 law, the\u00a0Future Energy Jobs Act, community solar allows ComEd and Ameren customers to now \u201cgo\u00a0solar\u201d without actually installing panels on their property. Under the program, you can\u00a0subscribe to a portion of the electricity produced by a solar installation\u2014called a community\u00a0solar garden\u2014and in return, receive credits that reduce your electric bill. Community solar is just getting off the ground in Illinois, but we expect many projects to\u00a0come online later in 2020. Before community solar developers can connect the garden to\u00a0the grid, they need to secure a certain number of subscribers. Community solar companies\u00a0are signing people up in advance for when their solar gardens go live later this year. Arcadia\u2019s website talks about more than just community solar. What type of company\u00a0are they? Arcadia is an energy brokerage company\u2014a for-profit business that offers to manage your\u00a0electricity supply needs. They offer a variety of products like retail supply brokerage, wind\u00a0energy offsets (provided via Renewable Energy Credits), and they now offer community\u00a0solar. How will signing up for the Arcadia community solar offer affect my electric bill? To participate in Arcadia\u2019s offer, you must first connect your utility and billing information. To\u00a0do that, you must have an online account with your utility (ComEd or Ameren) and enter\u00a0your login info (username and password) into Arcadia\u2019s online system.\u00a0Once you\u2019ve signed up with Arcadia, your bill email will be redirected to Arcadia, and you\u00a0will stop receiving bills from your utility. Instead, you will receive a monthly statement from\u00a0Arcadia.\u00a0This monthly statement will combine your utility bill and the Renewable Energy\u00a0Certificates (RECs) that Arcadia purchases on your behalf. Arcadia will use your energy usage history to determine your community solar subscription\u00a0size. You can think of your subscription size as how many panels you are subscribing to,\u00a0and it is measured in kilowatts (kW). Each month your subscription will produce solar\u00a0energy, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh).\u00a0 Once the community solar project you are assigned to is completed, your monthly Arcadia\u00a0statement will also indicate the amount of money you are saving from your community solar\u00a0subscription. The total amount you are saving monthly will vary as the solar production of\u00a0your subscription varies. Until your project is completed, Arcadia will estimate your\u00a0community solar savings and apply credits to your bills based on that estimate. All Arcadia members receive wind RECs (Renewable Energy Credits) to cover 50 percent of their\u00a0electricity usage at no additional cost. A REC represents the environmental benefit of\u00a0renewable energy. Is the deal any good? Although CUB has not yet spoken with anyone who has signed up, we have had\u00a0discussions with Arcadia and learned details of its offer. Questions about Arcadia’s offer: Answers:\u00a0 How much will I save? Arcadia offers 10 percent savings compared to the default\u00a0utility supply rate for the solar energy produced each\u00a0month. This will not necessarily […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":false,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"","_twitter_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type":"","_pinterest_share_type":"","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"","_medium_share_type":"","_threads_share_type":"","_google_business_share_type":"","_selected_social_profile":[],"_wpsp_enable_custom_social_template":false,"_wpsp_social_scheduling":{"enabled":false,"datetime":null,"platforms":[],"status":"template_only","dateOption":"today","timeOption":"now","customDays":"","customHours":"","customDate":"","customTime":"","schedulingType":"absolute"},"_wpsp_active_default_template":true},"categories":[624],"tags":[1026,65,91,169],"class_list":["post-23428","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-community-solar","tag-arcadia","tag-electric","tag-energy","tag-solar"],"cp_meta_data":{"_edit_lock":["1593535476:20"],"_edit_last":["20"],"_oembed_10999c0e1454c8a5029f86d58e801fcf":["

Contact Us<\/a><\/blockquote>