August 2015 - August marks another big month in the expansion of community solar, which allows electricity customers to purchase panels from a solar array remote from their home and receive electricity bill credits in proportion to their ownership stake.

Colorado continues at the forefront of the community solar movement, with 8.2 megawatts (MW) of new capacity from ten community solar projects under contract with Eaton and SunShare. At full capacity, the ten projects are expected to provide about 350 million kilowatt-hours of electricity over the next 20 years. In southern Colorado, electric utility Black Hills Energy plans to build the first roofless community solar array in the City of Pueblo.

Nexamp and Jiminy Peak Mountain Resort have launched construction of a 2.3 MW community solar facility located on 12 acres of the ski and snowboard resort's property in Massachusetts. The energy generated by the solar facility and Jiminy Peak's existing 1.5 MW wind turbine is anticipated to offset 90 percent of the resort's total energy consumption with renewables.

In Montana, the Flathead Electric Cooperative's Solar Utility Network will provide its members the opportunity to lower their electricity bills and earn energy tax credits by purchasing renewable energy from a community solar project outside the town of Kalispell.

News Articles-

5 New Colorado Solar Gardens Bloom with Eaton and SunShare

Nexamp and Jiminy Peak Launch Construction of Largest Community Solar Project in Northeast

Community solar project to sell renewable energy

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