I’m interested in a solar garden subscription

Income-Qualified Community Solar Program

Special thanks to United Agrivoltaics and the Fief Family Farm for their partnerships and collaboration. 

The Community Solar program provides donated subscriptions to community solar gardens across Colorado.  A community solar garden is a large collection of solar panels that can benefit multiple households, businesses, or organizations.

The free subscription applies credits to your electric bill each month, saving you money. Because the solar panels are located elsewhere, no equipment is installed where you live. That means you can rent or own any type of housing (apartment, condo/house, mobile home) and still save with solar!

You Qualify If:

  • Your electric utility provider is Xcel Energy or Black Hills Energy
  • Your household is income-qualified or you qualify for LEAP

If you think you qualify but aren’t sure, please contact the Solar Team.

Benefits of Community Solar

  • Monthly savings directly on your electricity bill, no separate bill for solar
  • Free to sign up, cancel, or opt-out at any time
  • Average households save 50% off the cost of electricity per year (about $600/year or $50/month)
  • You don’t need to own your home (renters can participate)
  • You don’t need to own your home (renters can participate)
  • You don’t need a sunny roof suitable for solar
  • You are not responsible for repairs and maintenance of the solar array
  • Subscriptions can move with you
  • Support environmentally friendly, clean electricity

How Community Solar Works

Graphic of solar panels and the sun

Your household is assigned a portion of a solar garden based on your yearly usage.

Graphic of mountains and power lines

Your electric utility tracks the solar production each month and calculates your monthly bill savings based on the solar production of your portion.

Graphic of house with energy bill

The savings are applied as a credit to your energy bill
each month!

How to Apply

To check your eligibility, click the Interest Form button below. A member of our staff will contact you within two weeks to complete the application process. If you wish to receive an application in the mail or emailed to you directly, email, call, or text the Solar Team at 303.226.7060 or 303.226.7069.

A Complete Application Includes:

  • Solar Application (available in English/Spanish) – required for anyone who hasn’t received assistance from another EOC program, if you’re not sure, fill out the Interest Form
  • Utility Data Consent Form – Xcel Energy (available in English/Spanish) or Black Hills Energy (available in English/Spanish)
  • Proof of Income – eligible documents are on the solar application or the FAQ page

If you need an application in a language other than English or Spanish, please contact our team.

Review our FAQ page for common questions about the program and applying:

What happens after I apply?

  1. We will verify income eligibility and send application forms for you to sign.
  2. We will submit your signed data consent form to your electricity provider (Xcel Energy or Black Hills Energy) for approval.
  3. Once your data consent form is approved, a member of our team will contact you. You will be placed on the waitlist for our program. Please note, due to supply chain issues and construction delays in the solar industry, it could take up to one year or longer after you apply before you’ll be placed into a community solar garden.
  4. When it is your turn to be moved from the waitlist into a community solar garden, you’ll receive an enrollment packet from our team letting you know which community solar garden you are in, and how to read your electric bill to identify savings from this program each month. 

If you are moving or plan to move, please contact us as soon as possible so that we can make sure your participation in this program moves with you. Even if your savings have not started, you will need to contact us.

Xcel Energy Income-Qualified Community Solar Gardens by the numbers in 2021

Total Capacity

6 MW

Counties Served

Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Jefferson, Larimer & Weld

Households Enrolled

918

Nonprofits Enrolled

13

Annual energy bill savings per household

$200-$500

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