{"id":28459,"date":"2020-10-27T14:32:16","date_gmt":"2020-10-27T19:32:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/?p=28459"},"modified":"2025-12-18T12:48:34","modified_gmt":"2025-12-18T18:48:34","slug":"clearway-cubs-evaluation-of-a-new-community-solar-offer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/blog\/2020\/10\/27\/clearway-cubs-evaluation-of-a-new-community-solar-offer\/","title":{"rendered":"Clearway: CUB\u2019s evaluation of a new community solar offer"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]This is an evaluation of Clearway\u2019s community solar offering. (If you are not already\u00a0familiar with community solar, we recommend reading our Introduction to Community Solar<\/a><\/strong> first.)<\/p>\n

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

Clearway will look at your energy usage history to determine your subscription size, measured in\u00a0kilowatts (kW). Each month your subscription will produce solar energy, measured in kilowatt-hours\u00a0(kWh).<\/p>\n

Once you are assigned to the community solar project, your monthly electric bill will be reduced by the community solar bill credits. You will also pay a second monthly bill to Clearway for the solar bill credits applied at a 20% discount.<\/p>\n

Even though you are now receiving two bills, you will still save money overall.<\/p>\n

On your utility bill you will see a credit for your community solar subscription. Clearway will bill you\u00a0for the energy generated by your subscription, with a 20% discount applied<\/strong>. That\u2019s where the\u00a0savings come in. The total amount you save monthly will vary as the solar production of your\u00a0subscription varies.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

What about alternative suppliers? <\/strong><\/p>\n

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\u00a0ComEd territory<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Ameren territory<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What does CUB think about this offer?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Community solar allows more Illinois consumers to support renewable energy, and CUB is pleased\u00a0to see more offers hit the market. From reviewing the terms of Clearway\u2019s offer, we did not see any\u00a0red flags. Still, we recommend comparing multiple offers and understanding all the terms before\u00a0signing up for community solar. Always read your contract thoroughly.<\/p>\n

This chart summarizes key points about the Clearway deal:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
What utility territory does the company serve?<\/td>\nAmeren and ComEd.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Does the company offer savings?<\/td>\nYes. Clearway offers 20% off the energy produced by your subscription portion.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Is there a credit check when I sign up?<\/td>\nYes, Clearway performs a soft credit check, but it will not\u00a0impact your credit score.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
What is the contract term?<\/td>\n20 year option.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Is there an \u201cexit fee\u201d for leaving the contract early?<\/td>\nNo, but 90 days\u2019 notice is required.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
What are my billing options?<\/td>\nAutopay is available and optional.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Note:<\/strong> Clearway has at times experienced solar farm outages. If you consider its offer, please ask Clearway how many outages it has experienced; how long the outages have lasted; and what the company is doing to prevent outages from happening in the future.<\/p>\n

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

All Clearway projects are completed, so it depends on when space on these project become available. Typically a customer gets assigned to a projects within 6 months. The Community Solar Standard Disclosure Form you receive from Clearway includes the month they expect your subscription to go live in the \u201cSubscription Specifications\u201d section. Once you sign up you can also check your customer portal for updates on your project.<\/p>\n

What happens if I move?<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you move within your current utility territory you can take your community solar subscription with you. If you move outside of the utility territory, you can assign your subscription to someone else. (That person must first properly enroll in the community solar program, including reviewing all of the applicable IPA Disclosure forms.) You also can cancel with no penalty by providing proof of your move. If you are moving you must give Clearway 90 days\u2019 written notice. During that period the community solar provider will still bill you for the solar produced, and you will still receive bill credits if your account is still active.<\/p>\n

Can I sign up for Clearway\u2019s offer and a real-time pricing program?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Yes, you can participate in Clearway\u2019s community solar program alongside ComEd\u2019s Hourly Pricing program or Ameren\u2019s Power Smart Pricing plan.<\/p>\n

How do I sign up?<\/strong>
\nTo enroll in Clearway\u2019s community solar program, visit Clearway’s website<\/a><\/strong>.\u00a0CUB recommends comparing multiple offers before signing up. See all offers available to you at Solar in the Community<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Have you signed up for a community solar program?<\/strong>\u00a0Let us know about your experience!<\/a><\/strong>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]This is an evaluation of Clearway\u2019s community solar offering. (If you are not already\u00a0familiar with community solar, we recommend reading our Introduction to Community Solar first.) How will signing up for the Clearway community solar offer affect my electric bill? Clearway will look at your energy usage history to determine your subscription size, measured in\u00a0kilowatts (kW). Each month your subscription will produce solar energy, measured in kilowatt-hours\u00a0(kWh). Once you are assigned to the community solar project, your monthly electric bill will be reduced by the community solar bill credits. You will also pay a second monthly bill to Clearway for the solar bill credits applied at a 20% discount. 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. Clearway will bill you\u00a0for the energy generated by your subscription, with a 20% discount applied. That\u2019s where the\u00a0savings come in. The total amount you save monthly will vary as the solar production of your\u00a0subscription 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\u00a0ComEd territory\u00a0and\u00a0Ameren territory. What does CUB think about this offer? Community solar allows more Illinois consumers to support renewable energy, and CUB is pleased\u00a0to see more offers hit the market. From reviewing the terms of Clearway\u2019s offer, we did not see any\u00a0red flags. Still, we recommend comparing multiple offers and understanding all the terms before\u00a0signing up for community solar. Always read your contract thoroughly. This chart summarizes key points about the Clearway deal: What utility territory does the company serve? Ameren and ComEd. Does the company offer savings? Yes. Clearway offers 20% off the energy produced by your subscription portion. Is there a credit check when I sign up? Yes, Clearway performs a soft credit check, but it will not\u00a0impact your credit score. What is the contract term? 20 year option. Is there an \u201cexit fee\u201d for leaving the contract early? No, but 90 days\u2019 notice is required. What are my billing options? Autopay is available and optional. Note: Clearway has at times experienced solar farm outages. If you consider its offer, please ask Clearway how many outages it has experienced; how long the outages have lasted; and what the company is doing to prevent outages from happening in the future. When will my subscription go live? When will I start to see credits on my utility bill? All Clearway projects are completed, so it depends on when space on these project become available. Typically a customer gets assigned to a projects within 6 months. The Community Solar Standard Disclosure Form you receive from Clearway includes the month they expect your subscription to go live in the \u201cSubscription Specifications\u201d 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 you move outside of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":null,"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":0,"_facebook_share_type":"default","_twitter_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type":"default","_pinterest_share_type":"default","_linkedin_share_type_page":"","_instagram_share_type":"default","_medium_share_type":"default","_threads_share_type":"default","_google_business_share_type":"default","_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":[929,937,624,90,475,681],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28459","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-clean-energy","category-clean-energy-jobs-act","category-community-solar","category-energy","category-solar-2","category-solar-power"],"cp_meta_data":{"classic-editor-remember":["classic-editor"],"_edit_lock":["1766086789:25"],"_edit_last":["25"],"_wp_page_template":["default"],"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":[""],"_yoast_wpseo_content_score":["90"],"borntogive_strict_no_sidebar":["0"],"borntogive_sidebar_columns_layout":["3"],"borntogive_page_header_show_hide":["2"],"borntogive_pages_title_show":["2"],"borntogive_pages_Choose_slider_display":["2"],"borntogive_pages_slider_pagination":["yes"],"borntogive_pages_slider_auto_slide":["yes"],"borntogive_pages_slider_direction_arrows":["yes"],"borntogive_pages_slider_effects":["fade"],"borntogive_pages_body_bg_wide":["0"],"borntogive_pages_body_bg_repeat":["repeat"],"borntogive_pages_content_bg_wide":["0"],"borntogive_pages_content_bg_repeat":["repeat"],"borntogive_pages_social_show":["1"],"borntogive_gallery_slider_pagination":["yes"],"borntogive_gallery_slider_auto_slide":["yes"],"borntogive_gallery_slider_direction_arrows":["yes"],"borntogive_gallery_slider_effects":["fade"],"_wpsp_is_facebook_share":["off"],"_wpsp_is_twitter_share":["off"],"_wpsp_is_linkedin_share":["off"],"_wpsp_is_pinterest_share":["off"],"_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes":["4"],"_wpb_vc_js_status":["true"],"_yoast_wpseo_wordproof_timestamp":[""],"_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":[""],"_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":["off"],"_wpb_post_custom_layout":["default"],"borntogive_pages_select_revolution_from_list":["3"],"_wpb_vc_editor_type":["backend"],"_facebook_share_type":["default"],"_twitter_share_type":["default"],"_linkedin_share_type":["default"],"_pinterest_share_type":["default"],"_instagram_share_type":["default"],"_medium_share_type":["default"],"_threads_share_type":["default"],"_google_business_share_type":["default"],"_selected_social_profile":["a:0:{}"],"_wpsp_custom_templates":["a:7:{s:8:\"facebook\";a:3:{s:8:\"template\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"profiles\";a:0:{}s:9:\"is_global\";b:0;}s:7:\"twitter\";a:3:{s:8:\"template\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"profiles\";a:0:{}s:9:\"is_global\";b:0;}s:8:\"linkedin\";a:3:{s:8:\"template\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"profiles\";a:0:{}s:9:\"is_global\";b:0;}s:9:\"pinterest\";a:3:{s:8:\"template\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"profiles\";a:0:{}s:9:\"is_global\";b:0;}s:9:\"instagram\";a:3:{s:8:\"template\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"profiles\";a:0:{}s:9:\"is_global\";b:0;}s:6:\"medium\";a:3:{s:8:\"template\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"profiles\";a:0:{}s:9:\"is_global\";b:0;}s:7:\"threads\";a:3:{s:8:\"template\";s:0:\"\";s:8:\"profiles\";a:0:{}s:9:\"is_global\";b:0;}}"]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28459","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28459"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28459\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":44314,"href":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28459\/revisions\/44314"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28459"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28459"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28459"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}