On October 27th, 2016 around 40 people gathered at Woodbury City Hall to learn about community solar gardens and network with experts and developers.

1. Community Solar
Workshop & Fair
Woodbury

2. Agenda
1. Energy Efficiency – best bang for your buck
2. Context for Clean Energy in Minnesota
3. Renewable Energy Options
4. Questions
5. Chat with resource experts and solar
developers

3. READY FOR SOLAR?
WHY ENERGY EFFICIENCY MATTERS
Terry Chaney
Neighborhood Energy Connection | Home Energy Squad Outreach
Specialist
651-338-6226 | terryc@thenec.org

4. Energy Efficiency Solves Problems
• Lower monthly energy consumption
• Lower monthly energy costs
• Solve comfort problems like drafts and cold spots
• Prevent issues like ice dams
• Address uncontrolled moisture and ventilation problems
…all through efficiency improvement projects
(and earn rebates and other incentives and use competitive
financing, if needed)

5. Energy Efficiency Means What Again?
Using less energy to provide the same service
Energy efficient homes have:
• Fully insulated attic & walls
• Efficient lighting and appliances
• Efficient heating system
• Efficient water heater

6. Energy Efficiency: The Smart Step Toward Solar
The cheapest energy is the energy that you do not use.
increases the % of your home
that is powered by solar energy.
Reducing the amount
of energy you consume,

7. Energy Efficiency Lowers Energy Bills
MNDepartmentofCommerce-DivisionofEnergyResources
55% Heating and
Air Conditioning
15% Lights & Electronics
15% Appliances
15% Water Heating
The average Roseville household spends
$1,852/year
on gas & electric utilities.

8. Energy Efficiency, with The NEC Every Step of the Way
SOLAR ENERGY
WINDOWS
APPLIANCES
WATER HEATING
HEATING & COOLING
INSULATING & VENTILATION
AIR SEALING
LIGHTING
LOW COST/NO COST
BEHAVIOR

9. Have an Energy Auditor analyze your home
Your home is unique!
HOME ENERGY AUDIT
Infrared Camera Scan Blower Door Test CO2 Test & More

10. Get those low cost measures installed by the pros
Sign up today for either a
$40 or $20 visit.
HOME ENERGY SQUAD:
A quick, hands-on service that
installs key energy-saving
measures in your home.

11. After the presentation, stop by the NEC table
• Ask us questions
• Figure out your best next step
• Learn about potential energy efficiency rebates
Sign up for an Xcel Energy audit:
$100 Infrared Audit or a $60 Blower Door Audit
Combine it with a $20 Home Squad Visit

12. Community Solar
Gardens 101
Lissa Pawlisch
Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs)
UM Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships

13. Statewide Partnership
& Collaboration

14. CERTs: We’re here to help
CERTs Mission: Connect individuals and their communities
to the resources they need to identify and implement
community-based clean energy projects

15. Agenda
1. Energy Efficiency – best bang for your buck
2. Context for Clean Energy in Minnesota
3. Renewable Energy Options – On-site Solar,
Community Solar, Green Pricing
4. Questions
5. Chat with resource experts and solar
developers

16. Photo credits: http://realhousewivesofmn.com/category/minnesota-activities/
Minnesota Key Energy Policies
1. Conservation Improvement Program (electric and gas):
o Requires utilities to spend a certain amount of annual revenue
on efficiency investments (Gas .5%, Electric 1.5%, Xcel 2%)
2. Net Metering (electric): Customers must be compensated for
electricity they generate and feed into the local utility’s grid
(1,000 kW limit for investor-owned utilities, 40 kW limit for coops
and muni’s)
3. Renewable Energy Standards (electric):
o Xcel Energy – generate/procure 30% by 2020, plus 1.5% solar
o Investor-owned utilities – generate/procure 25% by 2025, plus
1.5% solar
o Cooperative and municipal utilities – generate/procure 25% by
2025

17. Consumer Solar Technologies
1. Electric (PV)
2. Thermal: Air Heat
3. Thermal: Hot Water

18. The Current State of Solar
• Now over 30 GW of solar PV
installed in US
• Enough to power > 6 million homes
SEIA Solar Market Insight Report

19. Solar Prices are Falling
Source:
http://cleantechnica.com/
2014/09/04/solar-panel-
cost-trends-10-charts/

20. The Solar PV Future

21. Is there Enough Sunlight?

22. Is My Site Good For Solar?
• Do I have a south facing roof or location?
• Are there shade issues?
• When do I anticipate re-roofing?
• Is my roof structurally sound?
• Am I going to be in the
home for a while?
• Is my home energy
efficient?
… talk to a solar installer!

23. The Minnesota Solar
Suitability App displays solar
insolation and solar
photovoltaic (PV) potential
with 1 square meter
resolution for the entire
state of Minnesota. It was
created using Lidar data and
GIS technology.
mn.gov/solarapp
mn.gov/solarapp

24. The Minnesota Solar
Suitability App displays solar
insolation and solar
photovoltaic (PV) potential
with 1 square meter
resolution for the entire
state of Minnesota. It was
created using Lidar data and
GIS technology.
mn.gov/solarapp
Other Options: Rooftop Solar

25. Community Solar Gardens
Point to yours!

26. Definition:
Centrally-
located solar
PV systems
that provide
electricity to
participating
subscribers
Community Solar Gardens
solargardens.mncerts.org

27. How does it work?
Xcel Energy Program
OPERATOR: primary group
running the solar garden
UTILITY: approves garden, tracks
production, provides credit.
SUBSCRIBERS: individuals or
groups to get solar power
3rd Party
Operator
develops & runs
garden.
Maintains
relationship w/
subscriber for
payment.
Utility provides
subscriber w/ bill
credit.

28. Subscribing to a Solar Garden
Source: WaterproofPaper.com

29. Subscribing to a Solar Garden
Washington County
Active Application: 64
MW Active Applications: 48
Initial: 1
In Review: 2
Reviewed: 33
Design and Construction: 28
Complete: 0

30. Developers with Solar Gardens
Serving Washington County
Here at the event tonight:
• Able Energy
• MN Community Solar / Novel Energy
• Cooperative Energy Futures
Selling but not in attendance:
• NRG
• SolarCity
Sold out in Washington County:
• Community Energy
• GreenMark / Ameresco
• SunShare
Not currently working with residents:
• Geronimo Energy
• Innovative Power Systems
• SoCore

31. How to get started?
1. Determine how much
electricity you use per year
2. Decide how much of
your usage you want to
offset/can offset.
3. Sign up via subscription
model that’s right for you.
4. Watch for credits on
your bill

32. 1. What is your annual electricity
usage?
Subscribing to a Solar Garden
(Xcel Energy Program)

33. 1. What is your annual electricity
usage?
o 9,600 kWh
Subscribing to a Solar Garden
(Xcel Energy Program)

34. 1. What is your annual electricity
usage?
o 9,600 kWh
2. How much of your usage do
you want to offset with solar?
Subscribing to a Solar Garden
(Xcel Energy Program)

35. 1. Determine how much
electricity you use per year
o 9,600 kWh
2. How much of your usage do
you want to offset with solar?
o 100%
Subscribing to a Solar Garden
(Xcel Energy Program)
8 kW of solar could provide
100% of the electricity
used by the typical MN home

36. 1. Determine how much
electricity you use per year
o 9,600 kWh
2. How much of your usage do
you want to offset with solar?
o 100%
3. Which company has an offer
that meets your goals?
Subscribing to a Solar Garden
(Xcel Energy Program)
8 kW of solar could provide
100% of the electricity
used by the typical MN home

37. AVAILABLE CSG PROJECTS
cleanenergyprojectbuilder.org
Research Solar Developers…
Visit the CERTs
table later to get a
flyer with the web
address!

38. Find a company that you like
• Pricing: What is the pricing structure? Is payment tied to
production?
• Transferability or Early Termination: What happens if you
move or want to cancel? What are the fees associated with that?
• Project Construction and Timing: At what stage in the
process is the project? When can you expect your first bill credit?
• YOUR Goals and Values: Garden location? Developer
business model? Customer service? Cost Savings?

39. Subscribing to a Solar Garden
(Xcel Energy Program)
1. Determine how much electricity you use per year
o 9,600 kWh
2. How much of your usage do you want to offset with solar?
o 100%
3. Which company has an offer that meets your goals?
Pricing:
$.14/kWh x 1.0275 each year
(2.75% escalator)

40. Subscription
paymentBill credits
How much does it cost?
$/kWh$/kWh
Set annually by Public Utilities
Commission, based on average
electricity prices
Set by developer,
explained in contract

41. Once the garden begins
producing electricity…
You will… Key Details
A) Begin making payments
to the developer for
your subscription
• Pay in dollars per unit electricity produced (most
contracts)
• Payment rate set by developer in contract
• Most contracts have starting rate x annual escalator
Polar Solar Pricing:
$.14/kWh x 1.0275 each year
(2.75% escalator)

42. Once the garden begins
producing electricity…
You will… Key Details
A) Begin making payments
to the developer for
your subscription
• Pay in dollars per unit electricity produced (most
contracts)
• Payment rate set by developer in contract
• Most contracts have starting rate x annual escalator
B) Begin receiving credits
on your monthly Xcel bill
• Credited in dollars per unit electricity produced
• Bill Credit rate is based on avg. cost of electricity
• Rate is updated annually by Public Utilities
Commission to match changing electricity prices
Standard rate (retail cost of electricity: $.12596/kWh
Standard + $.02 incentive (Gardens > 250 kW): $.14596/kWh
Standard + $.03 incentive (Gardens ≤ 250 kW): $.15506/kWh
MOST COMMON

43. Once the garden begins
producing electricity…
You will… Key Details
A) Begin making payments
to the developer for
your subscription
• Pay in dollars per unit electricity produced (most
contracts)
• Payment rate set by developer in contract
• Most contracts have starting rate x annual escalator
B) Begin receiving credits
on your monthly Xcel bill
• Credited in dollars per unit electricity produced
• Bill Credit rate is based on avg. cost of electricity
• Rate is updated annually by Public Utilities
Commission to match changing electricity prices
C) Continue to pay your
monthly Xcel bill…
• If monthly bill > $0, you pay the difference
• If monthly bill < $0, a credit is carried to the following
month
• If annual credits > annual bills, Xcel will write you a
check at end of year

44. Monthly costs/savings
(800kWh/month @ 100% subscribed)
MONTH 1
Without Solar
Garden
Subscription
With Solar
Garden
Subscription
Monthly Xcel Energy Bill
($.12596/kWh)
$100.77 $100.77
Bill Credit
($.14596/kWh)
N/A -$116.77
Payment to Solar Garden
Developer
($.14000/kWh)
N/A $112
TOTAL Monthly Cost $100.77 $96

45. $0.1400
$0.268
$0.146
$0.308
$0.08
$0.13
$0.18
$0.23
$0.28
$0.33
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
$/kWhProducedbyGarden
SUBSCRIPTION RATE
BILL CREDIT RATE (3.5% Annual Increase)
Years Subscribed
Rates over 25 years
(assuming bill credit rate increases by 3.5% each year on average,
due to increasing electricity prices)

46. Costs/Savings at specific points
in time
(assuming bill credit rate increases by 3.5% each year on average,
due to increasing electricity prices)
Monthly Costs/Savings at Different Points in Time
(Monthly
difference between
bill credit and
payment to the
developer)
Year 5
$ per month
Year 10
$ per month
Year 15
$ per month
Year 20
$ per month
Year 25
$ per month
$6.80 $10.36 $15.37 $22.20 $31.31
Cumulative Savings over 25 Years
(Cumulative
difference between
bill credits and
payments to the
developer)
Savings after 5
years
Savings after
10 years
Savings after 15
years
Savings
after 20
years
Savings after
25 years
$341 $852 $1,599 $2,662 $4,137

47. Bill Credits Changing
2017
Gardens:
Value of Solar
(VOS) Rate
Bill credit?
$0.0995
Pre-2017
Gardens:
ARR + REC
Bill credit?
$0.14596

48. MNCERTs.org/solargardens

49. Photo credits: http://realhousewivesofmn.com/category/minnesota-activities/
Alternatives: Green Pricing

51. Solar Garden Green Pricing
Pricing Opportunity to save money Small cost
Renewable Energy Contribute to state mandates
Always beyond state
mandates
Simplicity Complex sign-up process Easy sign-up process
Term 20-25 years 1 year
Amount
Any amount up to 120% of
usage
100 kWh blocks OR 100%
of usage
Key Contact Private Developer Utility Company
Delivery of benefit Utility bill Utility bill
Which option
meets your needs?

52. Lissa Pawlisch
CERT Director
UM Extension Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships
pawl0048@umn.edu
Terry Chaney
Home Energy Squad Outreach Specialist
Neighborhood Energy Connection
terryc@thenec.org
Questions?

53. Tips for Your Networking

54. Networking with Developers