--- title: Community Solar Status Updates description: Community solar projects are growing, with 6.5 GW capacity in 41 states, despite legislative and financial challenges. Key states include NY, MN, and MA. image: https://blog.prquinlan.com/hubfs/blog%20images/community%20solar%20status.jpeg --- [![PR Quinlan](https://blog.prquinlan.com/hs-fs/hubfs/PR_Quinlan_May2025/Images/cropped-PRQ_logo.png?width=1200&height=321&name=cropped-PRQ_logo.png "PR Quinlan")](https://prquinlan.com/) - [Home](https://prquinlan.com/) - [About](https://prquinlan.com/about) - [Our Team](https://prquinlan.com/our-team) - [Energy Services](https://prquinlan.com/energy-services) - [Policy Plugin](https://prquinlan.com/energy-intelligence) - [Energy Analysis](https://prquinlan.com/energy-analysis) - [Energy Insight](https://prquinlan.com/energy-insight) - [Why P.R. 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Additionally, community solar projects have been deployed in 41 states and 19 states have active programs. Most of this capacity lies in three states: New York, Minnesota, and Massachusetts. In fact, regulators in Maryland and New Jersey recently approved rules for permanent community solar programs, expanding their pilot programs.  **Market Status** Currently, [Solar Gardens](https://www.consumersenergy.com/residential/renewable-energy/solar-gardens/locations)[\[2\]](applewebdata://7044202B-49D0-491D-A8AC-F15CCF5F1CD4#_ftn2) is one of the largest community solar programs in the country. This program is composed of three solar farms in Michigan that generate a combined capacity of 4.5 MW. **Comparable programs are offered in other states:** - [Illinois Solar for All Program](https://www.illinoissfa.com/programs/community-solar/) - [Minnesota Community Solar Garden](https://mn.gov/puc/activities/economic-analysis/community-solar-gardens/) - [Duke Energy Florida Shared Solar Program](https://www.duke-energy.com/home/products/renewable-energy/fl-shared-solar) - [Washington D.C. Solar for All Program](https://doee.dc.gov/page/solar-all-community-solar-and-strategic-partnerships) **Implementation Issues** The implementation of community solar faces a myriad of barriers, including a lack of supportive legislation. More specifically, as of December 2021, fewer than half of the United States had enacted legislation that supports community solar. Community solar projects are also inhibited by interconnection issues that do not usually arise for other distributed solar. For this reason, it can be more difficult to finance community solar projects given uncertainty around maintaining subscriber [enrollment](https://www.energy.gov/communitysolar/national-community-solar-partnership-targets)[\[3\]](applewebdata://7044202B-49D0-491D-A8AC-F15CCF5F1CD4#_ftn3). Tax credits, like the federal investment tax credit for solar PV systems are often applied differently to community solar participants depending on the structure of the program. Variables include whether the participant owns the panels or output and if a participant claims a commercial tax credit. There is also uncertainty when a community solar participant can claim the investment tax [credit](https://www.nrel.gov/state-local-tribal/community-solar.html)[\[4\]](applewebdata://7044202B-49D0-491D-A8AC-F15CCF5F1CD4#_ftn4). Overall, the lack of guidance around tax credits greatly impacts the implementation of community solar programs.  **Benefits** Based on its design, community solar projects can benefit customers and utilities by providing: - Potential local job creation and workforce development. - Community solar options are flexible.  - No upfront costs or system ownership.  - Reduced carbon footprint and can aid in combating climate change.  - Wider solar accessibility for all, especially if portions of projects are set aside for low-income customers. - Renewable portfolio standard compliance through increased renewable energy generated from community solar projects. - Household savings include resilience during blackouts or weather events.  --- [\[1\]](applewebdata://7044202B-49D0-491D-A8AC-F15CCF5F1CD4#_ftnref1) [Community Solar (SEIA,2024).](https://www.seia.org/initiatives/community-solar) [\[2\]](applewebdata://7044202B-49D0-491D-A8AC-F15CCF5F1CD4#_ftnref2) [Solar Gardens Project Locations (Consumers Energy, 2024).](https://www.consumersenergy.com/residential/renewable-energy/solar-gardens/locations) [\[3\]](applewebdata://7044202B-49D0-491D-A8AC-F15CCF5F1CD4#_ftnref3) [National Community Solar Partnership Targets (U.S. Department of Energy, 2024).](https://www.energy.gov/communitysolar/national-community-solar-partnership-targets) [\[4\]](applewebdata://7044202B-49D0-491D-A8AC-F15CCF5F1CD4#_ftnref4) [Community Solar (National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 2024)](https://www.nrel.gov/state-local-tribal/community-solar.html) --- #### Tag: [grid modernization](https://blog.prquinlan.com/tag/grid-modernization) [renewable energy](https://blog.prquinlan.com/tag/renewable-energy) [community solar](https://blog.prquinlan.com/tag/community-solar) #### Share: - [Follow us on Twitter](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https://blog.prquinlan.com/community-solar-status-updates&text=Community%20Solar%20Status%20Updates) - [Follow us on Linkedin](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://blog.prquinlan.com/community-solar-status-updates) - [Follow us on Mail](mailto:?subject=Community%20Solar%20Status%20Updates%20&%20body=https://blog.prquinlan.com/community-solar-status-updates) - Follow us on Copy Copied to clipboard --- #### [Preserve Choice, Retain Competitive Energy Suppliers: Proposed ban is a solution in search of a problem Previous Post](https://blog.prquinlan.com/preserve-choice-retain-competitive-energy-suppliers-proposed-ban-is-a-solution-in-search-of-a-problem) #### [How Bright Is The Energy Star? 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