Community & shared solar
Just your monthly bill. No usage data, no contract details. Get a fast savings range in seconds.
How it works
Step 1
Use your average bill over the last few months rather than a single unusually high or low one. Not sure community solar is even available near you? Check the eligibility checker tool first.
Step 2
This gives you a fast sense of scale before you dig deeper. Once you have an actual offer, run the full subscription savings calculator with your real credit rate and discount for a precise number.
Community solar savings come from a percentage discount applied to your bill credit value, so working directly from your bill dollar amount skips the extra step of converting to kWh and back. This makes for a faster first look, though it trades away some precision compared to a full calculation with your actual usage and credit rate. A first-year rooftop savings estimate follows the same fast-versus-precise tradeoff, covered by the first-year savings quick calculator.
Community solar discounts vary by state, utility, and provider, generally landing somewhere between 5% and 20% off your bill credit value. A 10% discount is a reasonable middle assumption for a first look, which is why this tool highlights it as the typical estimate alongside the low and high ends. The Department of Energy's community solar market trends data puts the median subscription's net value at roughly $0.27 per watt over its life, a useful sanity check for whether a specific offer looks reasonable.
Use this range to decide whether community solar is worth pursuing further for your household. If the numbers look promising, check whether community solar is available where you live, then compare specific provider offers with the provider comparison tool. If you'd rather compare against financing a rooftop system instead, the quick financing comparison tool covers the upfront-cost side of that path.
Once you have a real offer with an actual credit rate, discount percentage, and any fees, run the subscription savings calculator for a full year-by-year breakdown instead of a rough range. Check your state's specific programs in the DSIRE database of state renewable energy incentives as well, since a strong state or utility incentive can shift the numbers well outside the general 5% to 20% range used here.
Questions
A quick estimate using only your monthly bill gives a reasonable range but isn't as precise as a full calculation using your actual credit rate and subscription terms. It's a good starting point before you request an exact quote from a provider.
Most community solar subscriptions offer a discount between 5% and 20% off your bill credit value, with 10% being a common middle figure. Your actual discount depends on your state, utility, and the specific provider you subscribe with.
No, a quick estimate can work from your monthly bill dollar amount alone, since the discount percentage applies to your bill value either way. For a more precise number based on your actual kWh usage and credit rate, use the full subscription savings calculator instead.
Community solar discounts vary by provider and by state, so a range reflects that real-world variation rather than pretending to know your exact future contract terms. Once you have an actual offer in hand, run the full subscription savings calculator with your real numbers.