The SEPA report found that the solar capacity of American communities doubled between 2016 and 2017
The solar capacity of communities in the United States more than doubled between 2016 and 2017,from 347 megawatts at the end of 2016 to 734 megawatts at the end of 2017.Currently,228 utility companies in 36 states in the United States are actively carrying out community solar energy programs. These numbers are part of a new report by the Smart Power Alliance(SEPA)titled"Community Solar Program Design Model".This report is one of two reports released by SEPA,focusing on the growth and increasing maturity of community solar programs in the United States.The second report,"The Value Stacking in Cathedrals,"is a case study by SEPA that focuses on how a small town responds to the demand for green energy from key industrial customers by shelving community solar projects,but still exploring opportunities for shared solar projects. In addition to providing data on community solar expansion,the'Design Model'report also covers lessons learned from existing projects,as well as basic'Decision Tree'tools aimed at helping utilities and other developers raise the right questions for successful projects.This report includes research results developed in collaboration with the Community Solar Access Alliance(CCSA). Key points include: In 2015,the public sector managed 60%of all community solar energy plans,while third-party organizations managed 40%.Since then,this disagreement has begun.Currently,third parties account for 67%of community solar plans,while utilities account for approximately 33%. The average subscription rate for community solar projects is 83%;The subscription rate of community solar energy owned by third parties exceeds 90%.The success of a subscription depends on a series of programming elements,but the financial value proposition of the project remains the main driving force. Public utility companies are exploring the use of community scale distributed solar energy as grid assets to improve reliability and grid support services.In Minster,a community project that combines solar energy and energy storage has generated four independent value streams from a single project in the town. Many community solar projects in the service are aimed at low-income customers,tenants,and residential customers residing in multi family homes.In the past,these customers were unable to benefit from solar energy because they did not have a roof,or if they had a roof,they could not support solar energy. Despite the rapid growth of community solar energy,these shared projects only account for over 1%of the total solar market in the United States,"said Dan Chwashyk,project manager of the SEPA Community Solar Program However,due to the flexible business model of community solar,we have seen sustained growth,allowing utilities and third-party developers to customize products based on local markets and customer interests.Our research and case studies indicate that the more adjustments made to customer utilities,the more innovative and successful their plans become Jeff Cramer,Executive Director of CCSA,said,"Community solar energy is growing exponentially.As this report indicates,the vast majority of community solar projects are either sold out or sold out.We are pleased to see the industry meet and exceed its growth expectations,and to see new community solar plans launched across the country,but today only a small percentage of American customers can choose solar.We hope that this situation will change and community solar will play a leading role in scale