Cooperative Solar Farm

Customers interested in harvesting the sun’s energy, will soon be able to participate in a unique program available to Coastal Electric Cooperative members. The pilot project is a mini solar electric farm, -- a part of our commitment to an environmentally friendly future that will become a visible representation of the power of people coming together in a common cause.

The Coastal Electric Renewables solar project is a 2,000 watt pole mounted solar array located at Coastal Electric headquarters. Members can lease individual solar panels for a 25 year period and receive credit on their monthly electric bill for all the power generated by their panel.

A major advantage of the program is Coastal Electric will maintain the solar farm – the customer only pays for the cost of the panel – which is a $1,295 investment per 230 watt panel. It is anticipated one panel will produce about a 3% return on its investment or approximately $41 per year in electricity credits.

Program details
• 25 year lease contract
• $1,295 investment per 230 watt panel
• Panels are located on Coastal Electric’s property
• Receive a credit on your electric bill for the energy generated by your panel(s)
• Monitor the farm’s production at anytime from going to CoastalElectric.coop (coming soon.)

The program is ideal for
• Customers whose homes are not properly sited for solar installations;
• For those who rent their homes or office spaces;
• Anyone who would like to purchase solar panels but can’t afford the large investment to install on-site.

Benefits of the Coastal Electric Renewables Solar Farm
• Coastal Electric will assume all the cost for construction, maintenance, insurance and permitting.
• If you move within Coastal Electric’s service territory, you still receive the benefits of your solar panels.
• Allows more people at all income levels to participate in solar energy options.
• The program is self-sustaining and perpetuated by only the members interested in investing in solar technology.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does it cost to become a partner in the Coastal Electric Renewables Cooperative Solar Farm?

You can become a partner in Coastal Electric Renewables for as little as $1,295—the cost to lease one 230 watt panel for 25 years. Customers are limited to just one panels in the initial module of the project, but will be able to sign up for as many panels as they wish once the initial module of panels has been fully reserved. If you sign up in the initial module, you will be part of the exclusive Founder's Club and receive special benefits.

Will one panel cover my whole electric bill?

One 230 watt solar panel produces approximately 25-30 kilowatt-hours per month. The average residential customer uses an average of 1,500 kilowatt-hours per month. In order to cover all of your electric usage, you would need to invest in about 40 solar panels, depending, of course, on the size of your home and how much electricity you actually use.

One benefit to becoming a Partner in Coastal Electric Renewables is that you don’t have to come up with the entire investment up front to cover 40 panels. Your household could set a goal to cover all cover only a portion of your electricity needs with solar energy over the next five years and invest in a few panels each year as your budget allows.

The best way to reduce the number of panels you would need to cover your electric bill is to use energy as efficiently as possible. Please look into our tips to save energy to help you lower your current electric bill. After all, the cheapest most environmentally friendly energy is the energy we never use!

Will my meter spin backwards?

Because the panels will be installed on Coastal Electric’s property, your meter will not spin backwards. You will be billed for your normal electric usage and then receive a credit on your monthly statement for the energy generated by your panels from the previous month.

How long will it take to pay back my investment in the Coastal Electric Renewables Cooperative Solar Farm?

It is anticipated that one 230 watt panel will produce about a 3% return on its investment or approximately $40 per year in electricity credits. Since the solar farm will be built to maximize electric production it is assumed that this panel would produce at least as much if not more than a similar panel located on a customer’s home.

Solar seems expensive and doesn’t appear to have a very good payback. I thought the energy from the sun was free.

The energy from the sun is free, but the cost of equipment used to convert that free energy into usable electric energy is still very expensive. While the cost of solar equipment has come down over the last 10 years, it still represents one of the most expensive ways to produce electricity.

If a quicker payback is important to you, we suggest looking into a number of energy efficiency measures that have a more immediate payback and effectively reduce your overall energy use. Generating renewable energy and using energy more efficiently are both excellent ways to help protect the environment.

Investing in solar energy is a great next step for customers who have already implemented a number of energy efficiency measures. Plus, when you use less energy, your renewable investment goes a lot further.

Will I save by signing up for a panel on the farm versus installing it at my home?

Typically a totally installed solar system on a home costs around $8/watt before any rebates or tax credits. Coastal Electric Members can lease a panel on the solar farm for about $5/watt or a 37% reduction from a home installed system.

Are there any additional benefits to leasing a panel on the solar farm versus installing it on my house?

There are a number of items that the Coastal Electric Renewables Cooperative Solar Farm can offer that can’t be duplicated with a traditional solar installation.

No insurance, maintenance or installation issues. Just sign up for a panel and Coastal Electric Renewables handles the rest. You get the benefit of the electricity produced by the panel just like it was on your home.

You can transfer these credits to a new location or sell them to another person.

Today only homeowners with proper solar orientation and no shading issues can take advantage of a traditional solar installation. The solar farm allows anyone within our service territory to participate in renewable energy, including renters or homeowners with poor solar orientation.

This program is a grow-as-you-go type of program. Many people don’t have the $50,000 – $75,000 to purchase a total system for their home. Coastal Electric Renewables allows you to sign up for panels as you have the money to invest. On average, it requires 40 panels to offset 100% of the electric usage at your home. Your family could decide to sign up for additional panels as your budget allows and set a goal to achieve a complete offset of your utility bill within the next five years.

Can I still put solar panels on my house if I become a Partner in Coastal Electric Renewables?

Yes. You can do both. Coastal Electric Renewables simply offers customers another option. Customers who rent or whose homes don’t have proper solar orientation or shading issues can now support renewable generation through the our Cooperative Solar Farm. Customers who want to install solar equipment directly on their homes can still do so based on the net-metering requirements and state and federal tax credits.

What if I move? Can I take my panels with me?

When you become a Member of our Cooperative Solar Farm, you will receive the energy credits from your solar panels—no matter where you live within Coastal Electric’s service territory.

The electric production from your leased panel(s) must be tied to a specific location within Coastal Electric’s service territory, so if you move outside of the service territory, you must transfer your panels to another Coastal Electric customer. This can be done by leaving the solar credits at the current location, transferring them to a new location or donating the energy from the panel to another customer or organization. Coastal Electric will not buy panels back from participants.

When you move, you cannot take your actual panels with you since you technically lease the output of the panels and don’t purchase the actual panel. Individual solar panels installed in the Coastal Electric Renewables Cooperative Solar Farm are an integral part of the entire system and cannot be removed.

Isn’t the Solar Farm just like purchasing Green Power or renewable energy credits?

When you purchase green power through our Green Power program you pay a surcharge for energy generated by a renewable source. You get the peace of mind knowing you are supporting additional renewable energy generation and pay a fee above and beyond your regular electric bill. When you lease a panel on the Coastal Electric Renewables Cooperative Solar Farm, you get peace of mind for supporting renewable energy and you receive a credit on your electric bill for the energy your panel generates.

Is the equipment installed on the Solar Farm the same equipment I’d put on my house?

Yes. The solar panels used for the Coastal Electric Renewables Cooperative Solar Farm are exactly what you would install on your house. You save with the Solar Farm because Coastal Electric Power will cover the costs of installation, insurance and maintenance, which can be the largest expense of installing on your property. In addition, the location of the Solar Farm is well suited for solar generation with no shading issues. Often trees or neighboring buildings can diminish the performance of solar panels installed on your residence or business.

How can I monitor the output of my panels?

Use the Coastal Electric Renewables Cooperative Solar Farm Live! online feature to monitor the production of your actual panels at any time via the internet. (Coming soon.)

Does the Coastal Electric Renewables Cooperative Solar Farm program qualify for State and Federal Tax incentives?

Not directly. Inasmuch as the panel are not actually owned by the partners, they cannot receive the tax credit directly. However Coastal Electric has reduced the price of the lease by an amount equal to the 35 percent Federal and 30 percent State income tax credit. So our partner do receive the benefit of the tax credit immediately in the lease price without having to wait to file their income tax return.

How do I sign up?

You may download a contract here. Full payment and signed contract are required to reserve your panels. For additional information, please contact
J. Mark Bolton at (912) 880-2226 or by e-mail mark.bolton@coastalemc.com.