Solar & Battery Regulation & Incentive Programs

Community Solar Gardens

Program Overview


Category:
Regulatory Policy
Program Type:
Community Solar Rules
Implementing Sector:
State
State:
Colorado
Eligible Storage Technologies:
Solar Photovoltaics
Website:
https://energyoffice.colorado.gov/community-solar
Applicable Utilities:
Investor-Owned Utilities
System Capacity Limit:
5 MW
Program Capacity Limit:
Varies by utility
Participant Credit Rate:
Total aggregate retail rate
Low-Moderate Income Provisions:
10 percent carve-out; excess bill credit donation provision; low-income housing providers treated as low-income subscribers; low-income subscribers given preference on waiting list.
Applicable Sectors:
Commercial, Industrial, Local Government, Nonprofit, Residential, Schools, State Government, Federal Government, Agricultural, Multifamily Residential, Low Income Residential
Last Updated:
08/28/2020

Summary

H.B. 1342 of 2010 authorized the development of community solar gardens (CSGs) in the service territory of investor-owned utilities in Colorado. Legislation approved in 2019 increased the maximum size of a CSG from 2 megawatts to 5 megawatts, and allowed the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) to increase the maximum size to 10 megawatts beginning July 1, 2023. The legislation also removed the requirement that a CSG subscriber's identified physical location be in the same or adjacent county as the CSG, though both locations must be within the service territory of the same investor-owned utility. 

Subscriptions must be at least 1 kW and cannot exceed 120% of the subscribers average annual electricity consumption. Subscribers are credited at the total aggregate retail rate. 



Authorities

NameEnacted DateEffective DateExpired Date
C.R.S. 40-2-12706/05/2010
4 CCR 723-3-3665