Community Solar Gardens

June 03, 2022

Summary

In May 2013, Minnesota enacted HF 729, which created the framework for Community Solar Gardens. The law set no cumulative capacity limits, but each Community Solar facility would be limited to 1 MW capacity.

Customers of Xcel Energy subscribe to community solar garden projects offered by private developers. Customers of other utilities may subscribe to community solar gardens that are offered by their utility.

Program Overview

Implementing Sector:	State
Category:	Regulatory Policy
State:	Minnesota
Incentive Type:	Community Solar Rules
Web Site:	https://www.revisor.mn.gov/statutes/cite/216b.1641
Administrator:
Start Date:
Eligible Renewable/Other Technologies:	Solar Photovoltaics
Applicable Utilities:	Investor-owned utilities
System Capacity Limit:	1 MW
Program Capacity Limit:	None
Participant Credit Rate:	Value of Solar Rate approved by Commission Residential added of $0.015/kWh available for Xcel Energy Customers).
Low-Moderate Income Provisions:	(Xcel Energy only) New community solar gardens with 50% or more of their capacity subscribed by low-income customers are eligible for a $0.50/W up-front payment and production incentive of $0.06/kWh

Authorities

Name:

MN 216B.1641

This information is sourced from DSIRE; the most comprehensive source of information on incentives and policies that support renewables and energy efficiency in the United States. Established in 1995, DSIRE is operated by the N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center at N.C. State University.