A community-solar offer can show a large credit without showing how much money remains in your pocket. Put the credit and every subscription charge on the same worksheet before comparing offers. This is a subscription comparison, not a quote for panels on your roof or a claim that a project is accepting customers near you.
Before You Begin
Community solar commonly uses an off-site array. A subscriber pays for a share of its generation and receives an electricity-bill credit. The Department of Energy explains that enrollment depends on the state and available programs; start with your utility to check the route for your account. Its consumer-protection recommendations are not proof that every contract provides the same discount or protections. DOE: Community Solar Basics.
Put Both Sides On One Sheet
The Treasury's consumer advisory warns that a subscription can produce either savings or additional costs. It recommends checking the fee, credit rate, future price changes, billing arrangement and cancellation or moving terms, and keeping the agreement. Those questions matter even when a seller emphasizes a percentage discount. Treasury: Before You Sign A Community Solar Subscription Contract.
Use this worksheet for each written offer. Fill in actual terms; leave an unanswered field marked “unconfirmed.”
| Record | Question To Resolve |
|---|---|
| Account And Project | Which utility account and named project does the offer cover? |
| Credit | What dollar credit is estimated, and for which production period? |
| Subscription | What charge corresponds to that same period? |
| Other Costs | Which additional charges apply, if any, and where are they stated? |
| Billing | Are the credit and subscription shown on one bill or separate statements? |
| Start And Changes | When should credits begin, and which written terms can change the calculation? |
| Leaving | What notice, moving, transfer or cancellation conditions would apply? |
Do not enter a second charge merely because it appears on two documents. Match the provider statement to the utility line items first. Conversely, a separate subscription invoice belongs in the calculation even if it is absent from the utility bill.
Work Through A Fictional Example
These invented numbers illustrate arithmetic only. They are not a real offer, a typical fee schedule or an estimate for your home. Assume the utility's charges before community-solar adjustments would be $160 for the period and that all amounts below relate to that same period.
Swipe or scroll sideways to compare every column. Keyboard users can focus the table area and use the arrow keys.
| Fictional Input | Offer A | Offer B |
|---|---|---|
| Community-Solar Credit | $80 | $95 |
| Subscription Charge | $72 | $90 |
| Additional Charge Assumed For This Example | $0 | $6 |
| Net Benefit: Credit Minus Both Charges | $8 | −$1 |
| Combined Cost: $160 Minus Net Benefit | $152 | $161 |
Offer B has the larger credit but costs $9 more than Offer A under these assumptions. A negative net benefit means an additional cost. The example does not suggest that a fee is permitted in your state or appears in your contract; enter zero when none applies. It also shows why a discount on an $80 credit is different from the same percentage off an entire utility bill.
For actual statements, compare matching periods and distinguish estimates from posted credits. If the periods do not line up, ask the utility and provider to explain the allocation before calling the difference a saving. Keep an unresolved amount separate rather than filling the gap with a promised percentage.
Check The Project As Well As The Price
New York's NYSERDA guidance distinguishes active projects from those still being developed, explains that savings are usually assessed annually, and directs consumers to the state's registered-provider list. These are useful questions to bring to an offer; New York registration does not establish eligibility elsewhere. A project still in development does not give a dependable first-credit date for your budget. NYSERDA: How To Choose A Project.
Ask for the written credit calculation and billing example for your utility territory, together with the provider's explanation of when billing starts. Keep your comparison private. LocalServ does not enroll subscribers or need your utility credentials, account documents or tax records.
Questions Before Signing
Does a bill credit prove I saved that amount? No. Subtract the applicable subscription charges and other costs for the same period, taking care not to count consolidated charges twice.
Can I use this example as a guaranteed annual saving? No. It holds every input fixed to show the calculation. Your actual terms, generation, credits and billing periods need their own review.
Does this article confirm a local opening or tax benefit? No. It is a comparison aid. Verify availability and the actual agreement through the utility and program administrator before enrolling.
Sources And Local Resources
Sources checked November 9, 2026. Confirm current requirements with the authority responsible for your property.