Community Solar Gardens are centrally-located solar photovoltaic (PV) systems that provide electricity to participating subscribers, and they’re taking root in Minnesota. Here at CERTs we wanted to learn more about the experiences of subscribers in Minnesota and share them with others who are curious about community solar.
Meet Rachel & John Egan: Rachel Egan of Blaine, MN is a hand therapist with NovaCare, and her husband John is a primary care physician in an internal medicine private practice on the Abbott Northwestern campus. When their new neighborhood association forbade solar installations on homeowners’ roofs, they turned to community solar as an alternative.
CERTs: Why did you decide to subscribe to the Connexus Energy SolarWise community solar garden?
Rachel & John Egan: We wanted solar panels on our Minneapolis home, then we moved up to Blaine. Our neighborhood association actually forbade solar panels on the home, so this was our only other option for having solar power for a meaningful part of our electricity use.
CERTs: What was the process like to subscribe?
R & J: Very easy—a single, straightforward form and a single payment. Connexus Energy staff were very easy to deal with and very accommodating.
CERTs: How did you decide how much solar to get?
R & J: As fun as it would be, we did not have the thousands of dollars it would take to go entirely solar. We both commute with electric vehicles, and we liked the idea of offsetting our added electricity use with solar energy. So, we viewed solar energy as a conservative investment, calculating our rate of return comparable to low-yield bonds or treasuries. We used a tax refund and purchased 6 solar panels for a meaningful amount of electricity, keeping the option open to buy more solar with a positive experience.
CERTs: What has the impact been on your energy bill?
R & J: In the fall, we saw an immediate 10-12% drop in the first months’ electricity bills, perfectly in line with expectations for that time of year. Production and bill credits have decreased due to the winter weather, so we’re looking forward to the sunnier months ahead.
CERTs: What are you doing to tell others about community solar, if anything?
R & J: We display our little solar energy yard sign. Beyond that, we just try to let people know about the option of the community solar garden if it comes up in conversation.
CERTs: What would you tell a friend if they asked about community solar gardens?
R & J: Solar is best viewed as a feel-good investment in renewable energy with conservative returns. It’s nice that it no longer takes the deepest pockets to participate.
To learn more about the Connexus SolarWise community solar garden, click here to visit their website. You can also check out the map and photos below.
Community solar garden location:
Check out photos below to see the Connexus SolarWise garden grow:
More interviews with community solar subscribers:
- Eric Schilling and family of Ham Lake, MN
- David Schmidt of Corcoran, MN
- Douglas and Dennis Falch of Winona, MN
- Christine and Tom Custer of Brownsville, MN
- Jim and Carol Johnson of Pelican Rapids, MN
- Gary and Betty Dagen of Barnesville, MN
Community Solar Gardens are centrally-located solar photovoltaic (PV) systems that provide electricity to participating subscribers. Could it work for you?Are you interested in going solar but unable to do so on your own? Perhaps you live in an apartment, have a shaded roof at home, or don’t have space at your organization. Where do you want to start? |
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