So you want to sign up for community solar, but you don’t really understand how the billing would work?
Let’s break that down. Reading this could save you up to 10% per month on your electric bill.
What is the Community Solar Billing Process?
Community solar is for those who want to use clean renewable energy as an energy source, but don’t want to deal with the installation of solar panels onto their home, or don't have the ability to do so, such as in the cases for renters and condo owners. It allows households and small businesses to support clean energy and access savings without any financial investment.
Community solar is a solar farm of tens of thousands of solar panels in one centralized location. The power generated from these farms fills the electric grid with clean renewable energy, saving customers money and decreasing the need for environmentally damaging natural gas and coal.
Breakdown of ClearPath’s Billing and Savings
When customers join a community solar program like the one we offer ClearPath Energy, their utility bills will look the same, and they will receive the same electricity from the grid as before. The one difference is that there will be a new negative line item for solar credits.
The project is technically called a Community Distributed Generation project and will generate Value Stack Credits as it generates solar electricity. These Value Stack Credits are converted to Net Member Credits and allocated to subscribers every month.
The Net Member Credits are created by multiplying the monthly Value Stack Credits by the CDG Savings Rate. The Net Member Credits are then allocated by the ClearPath Project Allocation Percentage and show up as a monthly credit on National Grid Utility bills. The CDG Savings Rate is guaranteed to be 10 % for as long as the solar project operates, therefore customers are guaranteed to save money on their bill every month.
There are no fees, costs, or charges associated with the ClearPath Net Credit Member Subscription.
What Does a Utility Bill with Community Solar Savings Look Like?
This is a National Grid utility bill, which is the utility company you need to be subscribed to be able to sign up for Clearpath Energy’s community solar initiative in New York.
The last page of the bill is where solar savings can be found. These savings may seem small, but this will add up. These savings are reflected on the total of the bill, so this includes supply and delivery charges.
When customers subscribe they sign a 12-month agreement. This agreement automatically renews for the life of the project, which is 25-45 years depending on the project. Subscribers can cancel at any time without restrictions or fees. If you choose to cancel this subscription at any time, discounts will stop appearing on the utility bill 30 days after giving ClearPath notice of cancellation.
Are My Community Solar Monthly Savings Guaranteed?
Yes! ClearPath’s community solar is different from other solar energy providers because we are not directly selling electricity to our customers. We sell our electricity to utility companies, which allows them to fill their grid with clean renewable energy, and our subscribers receive clean energy and monthly savings. Because we do it this way, there is absolutely no risk to you. If your electric rates rise, you will still save 10%. If your electric rates fall, you will still save 10%. At no point in your relationship with ClearPath Energy are you exchanging payment information with us or are we sending you an invoice or bill. Your savings are guaranteed! So what’s holding you back?
Let’s Recap
- Customers subscribe to a ClearPath Energy Community Solar farm.
- This subscription supports the generation of solar energy to be delivered to the local power grid – this renewable energy replaces polluted power on the grid which means more renewable energy for your state.
- In return for the solar power generated each month, customers receive a discount or savings on their utility bills.
- They pay the monthly utility bill like normal to their regular provider, paying less thanks to ClearPath Energy.
