Adam Capage looks at the negative REC prices in Colorado’s community solar program, explains how we got here, and suggests a fix. Last fall, it was disclosed that renewable energy certificate (REC) prices in the Colorado Solar Gardens program have turned negative — that is, developers have submitted bids that require them to pay the […]
As more customers become interested in having solar, utilities are looking to meet that demand through new community solar offerings. The content of this white paper is focused on assisting utilities that voluntarily choose to implement community solar programs. Launching a new utility offering is similar to launching a new product. As utilities develop these […]
Corporate power purchase agreements (PPAs) are being talked about everywhere — from water coolers to boardrooms to industry conferences. — greening their energy portfolio and creating financial benefits. How did we get here? While a number of interrelated factors have driven this change, we have identified two clear eras in the development of renewable energy. […]
Adam Capage of 3Degrees explores the complex topic of pricing power from community solar programs in an equitable manner. When a utility offers a community solar (or shared renewable) option to its customers, there are a range of program design questions to address. In previous articles, we’ve talked about project ownership and siting considerations and […]
In the second of three articles, Adam Capage of 3Degrees looks at how utilities can address the larger risks of a community solar program. With interest in community solar continuing to grow, more utilities are grappling with how to design a successful program that meets their organizational goals. In part one of this series on […]
The first community solar programs were started nearly a decade ago, and, as the name suggests, the early efforts were led by communities — neighbors, small towns, places of worship — in each case, a group of people dedicated to building solar systems and sharing the benefits of the electrical output. From these humble beginnings, […]
