5. MNCS Subscriber FAQCOMMUNITY MN Community Solar LLC
4002 Minnehaha Ave
SOLAR Minneapolis, MN 55406
612.345.7188
Minnesota Community Solar Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a community solar garden?
A community solar garden is a large solar array from which multiple people can
purchase subscriptions to clean, solar energy generation, right in their community.
2. What is a subscription to a community solar garden?
You purchase a subscription, and your utility will give you a monthly credit on your bill for
the electricity generated by your subscription's portion of the community solar garden. A
subscription is like a service contract, rather than actual ownership, for leaves at a
community solar garden (Leaves? See next question).
3. What is a leaf? How do I know how many leaves are right for me?
A leaf is the unit of your subscription with Minnesota Community Solar. We'll help you
figure out the perfect number of leaves for your subscription, whether you want to
subscribe to just one leaf or cover all of your electricity with solar energy. You may
purchase any number of leaves, up to 120% of your average annual electrical usage.
[Want to get technical? Each leaf has an annual estimated production of 279 kilowatt
hours (kWh).]
4. What is the length of the subscription?
A subscription to community solar is 25 years. This subscription length means that you
will be getting the best value from your community solar array.
5. How much does it cost? What is the estimated payback period?
The cost of a subscription will be $954 per leaf. The estimated payback period is
approximately 20 years. You'll be able to save money while supporting clean energy!
This is solar for everyone
6. Can I join? Do I have to put solar modules on my roof?
Anyone with an Xcel Energy electricity account — a person, business, or nonprofit —
within one neighboring county of the community solar garden can subscribe. This means
renters, condo owners, apartment residents, and home owners with shaded property are
now all able to generate solar electricity — without putting any solar modules on their
roof.
7. What if I move?
When you move, your subscription with Minnesota Community Solar will move with you.
This stays true as long as you remain within Xcel territory, and reside within a
neighboring county of the location of your community soar garden. If you move outside
of Xcel territory, or no longer have an Xcel account, you can transfer your subscription to
someone else that fits the above guidelines, or Minnesota Community Solar will
purchase the remainder of your subscription from you at a prorated rate.
8. Do I get rebates or tax credits?
Any rebate and tax credit savings are already built into your subscription. That way, you
won't need to worry about following up to receive savings.
9. How much CO2 and other pollutants will be avoided?
Each leaf at your community solar garden will offset nearly 3,800 pounds of Carbon
Dioxide emissions per year. That's equivalent to the emissions from an average car
driving 4,700 miles. You would need to plant 79 trees to absorb that much carbon
dioxide! You'll also avoid emissions of nearly 8 pounds of both sulfur dioxide and
nitrogen oxides, 0.65 pounds of particulate matter, and traces of mercury each year.
10. Why should I participate?
Minnesota Community Solar makes it simple for you to support clean, local energy. We
take care of all insurance, monitoring, maintenance, and customer care for the length of
the subscription. All you have to do is purchase a subscription, and start seeing credits
on your electricity bill for your solar energy.
Questions we didn't cover? Please contact our Subscription Manager, Dana Hallstrom.
(612) 345-7188 dana@mncommunitysolar.com
2 This is solar for everyone