{"id":42974,"date":"2025-05-27T11:12:11","date_gmt":"2025-05-27T16:12:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/?p=42974"},"modified":"2025-05-27T11:12:11","modified_gmt":"2025-05-27T16:12:11","slug":"green-energy-justice-cooperative-gejc-cubs-evaluation-of-gejcs-community-solar-offer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/blog\/2025\/05\/27\/green-energy-justice-cooperative-gejc-cubs-evaluation-of-gejcs-community-solar-offer\/","title":{"rendered":"Green Energy Justice Cooperative (GEJC): CUB\u2019s evaluation of GEJC\u2019s community solar offer"},"content":{"rendered":"

Green Energy Justice Cooperative (GEJC) offers both market rate and income-eligible community solar deals in Will and DuPage counties. If you are not already familiar with community solar, please read\u00a0 <\/span>CUB\u2019s Introduction to Community Solar<\/a><\/strong> first. Also, learn more about an income-qualified program called <\/span>Illinois Solar for All<\/a><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Community-Driven Community Solar (\u2018CDCS\u2019)<\/strong>\u00a0Green Energy Justice Cooperative includes projects, up to 5 megawatts (MW), that are meant to provide direct clean energy benefits\u00a0 to the communities in Will and DuPage counties where they operate. Read how CDCS works, how it will affect your electric bills, and how you can save money.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

The subscription process starts by becoming a member: You fill out the membership form and show proof you live in the service area and have a ComEd utility account. Then, choose your one-time fee membership tier: $5 for Lower-Income (with income proof), $25 for Standard, and $750 for supporters\/organizations. Once confirmed, you can subscribe to the solar farm.<\/span><\/p>\n

GEJC will help you determine the right subscription size,\u00a0 measured in kilowatts (kW), based on your average electricity usage and what capacity from the solar farm is available.\u00a0 Next, you will review and sign the solar agreement and provide your utility information. You\u2019ll get confirmation of your enrollment, and GEJC will connect your account with ComEd. <\/span>Once activated, your subscription will produce solar energy, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh), each month. The supply section of your electric utility bill will be credited for what your subscription produced that month. Then, GEJC will charge you for those credits through a consolidated billing system, but with a discount of up to 20 percent.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Example: Say you are currently paying your electric utility 10 cents\/kWh. Through GEJC community solar, you will be paying 8 cents\/kWh (20% discount on the supply) for any electricity produced by the farm.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

As a member, you\u2019ll get monthly credits and take part in profit-sharing. You\u2019ll also be able to track your savings online, take part in decisions about the cooperative and attend meetings and educational events.<\/span><\/p>\n

Note:<\/strong> Your subscription size is designed to provide credits for your full electricity usage for the year, though there will be changes in your subscription\u2019s 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.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

All customers, regardless of their electricity supplier, can now receive solar bill credits as part of a community solar program. Be careful about bad alternative supplier deals. <\/span>Read CUB\u2019s fact sheet<\/a><\/strong>.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Community solar allows more Illinois consumers to enjoy the benefits of renewable energy, and CUB is pleased to see these offers in the market. This is Illinois\u2019s first community-owned solar cooperative, providing more tangible benefits to community members. Members of the cooperative will be able to vote on decisions, attend member meetings, receive profit-sharing distributions, and gain access to educational resources. GEJC does require an online ComEd account to enroll in the solar farm, which can be a barrier for customers who don\u2019t have online accounts. GEJC offers up to a 20 percent savings over your utility\u2019s energy supply price. Visit <\/span>www.SolarInTheCommunity.com<\/a><\/strong> to see CUB\u2019s analysis of other deals available in Illinois.<\/span><\/p>\n

This chart summarizes key points about the Green Energy Justice Cooperative deal:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
What utility territory does the company serve?<\/span><\/td>\nComEd (DuPage and Will Counties only)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Does the company offer savings?<\/span><\/td>\nYes. Green Energy Justice Cooperative offers up to 20% off the utility default supply rate for the community solar bill credits you receive.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Is there a credit check when I sign up?<\/span><\/td>\nNone<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
What is the contract term?<\/span><\/td>\n30 years<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Is there an \u201cexit fee\u201d for leaving the contract early?<\/span><\/td>\nThere is no cancellation fee (<\/span>\u201c90 days notice required\u201d)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
What are my billing options?<\/span><\/td>\nConsolidated Billing, one time sign up fee of $5 (low income, 80% of area median income), $25 (standard, or $750 (organizations\/supports)<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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

The solar arrays are still under construction. They expect credits to appear on subscribers\u2019 ComEd bills starting in early 2026.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

If you move out of ComEd territory, you\u2019ll need to give advance notice. There is no fee, but 90 days notice is required, otherwise you may be charged for the electricity. If you move within the two-county region, you can keep the subscription. Subscribers who move out of DuPage or Will county,\u00a0 cannot keep their subscription. If they still reside in Illinois, former subscribers can keep their membership. This means they would still have a vote as a co-op member and continue to realize any benefits of membership, such as dividends, if any.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Yes, you can participate in GEJC\u2019s community solar program alongside ComEd\u2019s Hourly Pricing program.<\/span><\/p>\n

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

To enroll in GEJC\u2019s community solar program, visit <\/span>GEJC<\/a><\/strong>. See all community solar offers available to you at CUB\u2019s online resource: <\/span>Solar In The Community<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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

Green Energy Justice Cooperative (GEJC) offers both market rate and income-eligible community solar deals in Will and DuPage counties. If you are not already familiar with community solar, please read\u00a0 CUB\u2019s Introduction to Community Solar first. Also, learn more about an income-qualified program called Illinois Solar for All. Community-Driven Community Solar (\u2018CDCS\u2019)\u00a0Green Energy Justice Cooperative includes projects, up to 5 megawatts (MW), that are meant to provide direct clean energy benefits\u00a0 to the communities in Will and DuPage counties where they operate. Read how CDCS works, how it will affect your electric bills, and how you can save money. How will signing up for the GEJC solar offer affect my electric bill? The subscription process starts by becoming a member: You fill out the membership form and show proof you live in the service area and have a ComEd utility account. Then, choose your one-time fee membership tier: $5 for Lower-Income (with income proof), $25 for Standard, and $750 for supporters\/organizations. Once confirmed, you can subscribe to the solar farm. GEJC will help you determine the right subscription size,\u00a0 measured in kilowatts (kW), based on your average electricity usage and what capacity from the solar farm is available.\u00a0 Next, you will review and sign the solar agreement and provide your utility information. You\u2019ll get confirmation of your enrollment, and GEJC will connect your account with ComEd. Once activated, your subscription will produce solar energy, measured in kilowatt-hours (kWh), each month. The supply section of your electric utility bill will be credited for what your subscription produced that month. Then, GEJC will charge you for those credits through a consolidated billing system, but with a discount of up to 20 percent.\u00a0 Example: Say you are currently paying your electric utility 10 cents\/kWh. Through GEJC community solar, you will be paying 8 cents\/kWh (20% discount on the supply) for any electricity produced by the farm. As a member, you\u2019ll get monthly credits and take part in profit-sharing. You\u2019ll also be able to track your savings online, take part in decisions about the cooperative and attend meetings and educational events. Note: Your subscription size is designed to provide credits for your full electricity usage for the year, though there will be changes in your subscription\u2019s 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 electricity supplier, can now receive solar bill credits as part of a community solar program. Be careful about bad alternative supplier deals. Read CUB\u2019s fact sheet.\u00a0 What does CUB think about this offer? Community solar allows more Illinois consumers to enjoy the benefits of renewable energy, and CUB is pleased to see these offers in the market. This is Illinois\u2019s first community-owned solar cooperative, providing more tangible benefits to community members. Members of the cooperative will be able to vote on decisions, attend member meetings, receive profit-sharing distributions, and gain access to educational resources. GEJC does require an online ComEd account to enroll in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"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":"","_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":[624,623],"tags":[595,1795],"class_list":["post-42974","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-community-solar","category-consumer-advocacy","tag-community-solar","tag-gejc"],"cp_meta_data":{"_facebook_share_type":["default"],"_twitter_share_type":["default"],"_linkedin_share_type":["default"],"_pinterest_share_type":["default"],"_instagram_share_type":["default"],"_medium_share_type":["default"],"classic-editor-remember":["classic-editor"],"_edit_lock":["1753470058:25"],"_edit_last":["25"],"_wp_page_template":["default"],"borntogive_page_header_show_hide":["2"],"borntogive_pages_title_show":["1"],"borntogive_pages_Choose_slider_display":["2"],"borntogive_pages_select_revolution_from_list":["3"],"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_strict_no_sidebar":["0"],"borntogive_sidebar_columns_layout":["3"],"borntogive_gallery_slider_pagination":["yes"],"borntogive_gallery_slider_auto_slide":["yes"],"borntogive_gallery_slider_direction_arrows":["yes"],"borntogive_gallery_slider_effects":["fade"],"_wpb_vc_js_status":["false"],"_wpscppro_custom_social_share_image":[""],"_wpscppro_dont_share_socialmedia":["off"],"_wpsp_is_facebook_share":["off"],"_wpsp_is_twitter_share":["off"],"_wpsp_is_linkedin_share":["off"],"_wpsp_is_pinterest_share":["off"],"_selected_social_profile":["a:0:{}"],"_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":["624"],"_yoast_wpseo_content_score":["60"],"_yoast_wpseo_estimated-reading-time-minutes":["5"]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42974","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\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=42974"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42974\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":42977,"href":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/42974\/revisions\/42977"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=42974"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=42974"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=42974"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}