Solar power generation in a community

How can community solar transform the energy industry?

Community solar provides a framework to transform the energy industry by combining group ownership, the imperative to decarbonize, and discounts of bulk-purchases, with proven and continually improving technology. Community solar is transforming the energy industry from the bottom-up. However, it is disruptive to the status quo.

Why is community solar important?

Community solar adds an important dimension in the transition to decarbonized energy: the power of collective action. The outcome is local participation in energy generation, which makes it possible for everybody to join the solar revolution: renters, apartment dwellers, and others who cannot, for one reason or another, install rooftop solar.

Are solar PV systems a viable alternative to community energy?

Many projects were saved by solar PV prices falling steadily until systems became viable if organisations hosting them paid for the electricity. Community energy grew, and in 2015 there were thought to be 150-200 community energy organisations, owning solar, wind, hydro and biomass boilers.

What are community energy projects?

Community energy projects involve groups of people coming together to purchase, manage, generate, or reduce consumption of energy. This includes (but is not limited to), solar panels, wind farms, hydro power, rural heat networks, electric vehicle charging points, car clubs and fuel poverty alleviation schemes.

Can a community energy project survive without government funding?

The third phase will need to survive without government funding, which is feasible in some cases now that the costs of solar installation have drastically reduced and because renewables are no longer a niche energy source. The Repowering London example is a typical illustration of what makes community energy projects successful.

What is a community solar garden?

A community solar garden is an example of a distributed energy resource (DER), a device or asset largely on the customer side (behind the meter), consisting of distributed generation, energy efficiency, voltage and frequency control, and storage.