The Washington D.C. Council has unanimously voted to pass the Community Renewable Energy Act, legislation allowing D.C. residents to participate in virtual net-metering. The Act allows residents to buy ownership in community solar projects and receive credit on their electricity bill for electricity produced by their portion of the facility. Community solar and virtual net-metering are ideal for utility customers who are unable to install solar at their residence due to shading, lease terms, or financial constraints. The legislation requires that qualifying renewable energy facilities have at least two subscribers and not be larger than 5 megawatts (MW). The new option for residents may help D.C. work towards its renewable portfolio standard which requires 20% of its electricity to be generated from renewable sources by 2020, of which 2.5% must be solar.

News Article - Washington D.C. Just Massively Expanded Its Residents' Ability To Participate In Solar Power

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