Can you go solar if you rent your home or live in an apartment? The simple answer for renters who want solar panels for their apartment or home is that it’s possible! While you may be able to pitch your landlord to install a rooftop solar panel system, community solar is more likely to be your best bet to enjoy the benefits of solar if you don’t own your roof space. Through incentives like virtual net metering, community solar participants can earn credits back on their electricity bill, saving money every month.
See community solar options in your area in 2023
Key takeaways about solar power for apartments
If you’re a renter, subscribing to a community solar project is your best option for going solar.
Community solar projects are large, off-site solar farms that you can subscribe to.
Interested in joining a community solar farm? Browse our community solar marketplace for local projects to help you save on electricity.
What’s in this article?
How to go solar as a renter: try community solar!
When looking for alternative ways to go solar, other than giving your landlord a call and talking through an installation on your apartment building or home, community solar (also known as roofless solar, solar gardens, or shared solar) is a great option for you to consider if you aren’t a homeowner.
A community solar project is a large, central solar power plant, whose electricity is shared by more than one property. While the size of a residential solar installation is measured in kilowatts, community solar projects are measured in megawatts, meaning that a single community solar project can power hundreds (or even thousands!) of properties – both rented and owned. Since you don’t need to have a suitable rooftop for solar to participate in a community solar project, it’s a great option for renters and people who live in shared housing. When you purchase a share of, or subscribe to, a community solar project, you can benefit from solar and pay less for electricity, even if you live in an apartment complex or rental property without solar panels on your own roof.
How do you get billed for community solar?
It’s counterintuitive, but in the vast majority of community solar setups, you’ll receive two separate electric bills each month once you subscribe to a project – one from your utility (your standard electric bill) and one from your community solar provider. Your utility bill will, for the most part, look pretty normal. On the other hand, your community solar bill will summarize your earned credits and what you owe for the credits. These charges not only depend on how much your share of the solar farm generated over the billing period, but also your subscription structure. Read more about community solar billing to understand the intricacies of this product.
Benefits of solar for renters
If you live in an apartment or rooftop solar isn’t otherwise a viable option for you, there are many reasons to use community solar. In addition to saving on energy costs while reducing the effects of climate change, you’ll still save money on energy bills, you’ll have flexible contract options, and you can support the local development of clean energy while reducing your carbon footprint. By meeting your energy needs with community solar, you can still tap into a renewable energy source without owning a home.
Save money on your electricity bills
One of the biggest advantages of community solar is the electric bill savings. The amount you can save with community solar varies depending on several factors, including but not limited to:
The pricing model of the program you participate in
Your current electricity rates
The cost of your community solar purchase or subscription
How much electricity you receive from the community solar farm.
Many community solar subscribers and portion owners save anywhere from 5 to 15 percent off of their typical electricity bills. However, some community solar programs may be more expensive than your current electricity bill, so it’s important to evaluate both expected monthly bills and long-term savings as you’re deciding whether or not to join a community solar farm.
Community solar options are flexible
One of the historic roadblocks to widespread community solar adoption has been the program and contract structure. Many community solar programs used to include long-term contracts with high cancellation fees, making it difficult for customers to commit by making the cancellation process difficult. These days, community solar companies are constantly opening new programs that remove these barriers. These newer programs often allow customers to opt into shorter-term contracts and simplify the overall process of canceling or transferring a contract.
Support local clean energy development
Community solar programs help reduce emissions, reliance on fossil fuels, and support local renewable energy jobs and project development in your area. With community solar, you are by connected directly to clean energy projects in your community. The more projects around you that fill up and go live, the more clean energy gets connected to your local grid, and the more electric customers who can keep relying on a solar power system.
Other ways renters can go solar
If you rent your home and find that you aren’t the right fit for community solar, there are some other unorthodox ways you can still go solar but components such as inverters can get expensive. The most straightforward option may be to simply ask your landlord or the company who owns your building to install panels. While not guaranteed, this may save them money in the long run, transferring the savings to you and others who live in the building.
There are also options for you to install small DIY portable solar panels. While not as reliable or efficient as professionally installed panels, technologies like these or solar kits can allow you to use solar energy as a charger for small devices.
Compare your apartment solar options today
If you’re a renter looking to benefit from solar, the best way to start is to compare community solar projects available to you on the EnergySage Community Solar Marketplace. You can filter by all sorts of project details, read about individual developers and panel locations, and compare your estimated yearly savings by subscribing. Get started today to start saving money on electric bills, even as a renter or apartment dweller.
See community solar options in your area in 2023
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