Common Energy is a renewable energy provider in the United States that helps landowners, developers and community groups build and co-own utility-scale solar projects while offering residents new ways to participate in the clean energy economy. The company focuses on long term power purchase arrangements that allow local organizations and residents to share in the output of large solar arrays, often paired with battery systems, so that communities see economic returns from renewable power rather than just paying for electricity from outside utilities.
As the nation works to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and increase the contribution of renewable electricity, large solar farms have become more common in many states and regions. Solar power systems can generate electricity with no combustion and minimal ongoing resource inputs after installation, which gives them appeal for communities that want stability and local benefit from energy infrastructure. Community ownership models offer a way for local stakeholders to benefit from generation capacity that would otherwise be owned and operated by distant corporations, and Common Energy’s model helps facilitate agreements that allow residents, small businesses and local organizations to share in that energy output.
Community Ownership and Economic Participation
Common Energy structures agreements so that community members and landowners can invest in or receive credit for solar generation capacity built near their towns or regions. When solar farms connect to the grid under long term contracts, participants can earn credits on their utility bills for a portion of the power generated by those systems. This arrangement allows people who may not have rooftop solar or suitable property to still receive financial benefit from renewable generation sited nearby.
Rather than having only a utility own and profit from large solar projects, the company’s model encourages broader participation by local stakeholders. Landowners can offer land for development and share in revenue from long term power sales, nonprofit organizations can secure predictable energy cost savings, and residents can receive bill credits that reduce monthly electricity expenses. This structure can help distribute benefits across a wider group of people and interests, making solar development more integrated with the communities that host the projects.
Common Energy also works with local governments, housing authorities and community development organizations to design programs that fit specific regional goals. In some cases, the company helps organize outreach efforts that explain the financial and environmental consequences of community shared solar, which helps neighbors understand what participation entails and how savings may accrue over time. By providing a framework for local involvement, the company supports a model of renewable power that links generation with community benefit and long-term economic participation.
Project Development and Collaboration
Developing utility-scale solar projects involves multiple parties including landowners, local officials, developers, financing partners and grid operators. Common Energy works to coordinate these elements so projects can move from planning stages into construction and operation. This process includes securing contracts for power purchase agreements, evaluating site conditions, resolving permitting requirements and ensuring that systems integrate with local grid infrastructure.
Solar and storage installations supported by the company can vary in size depending on land availability, financing structures and local demand for electricity. Battery systems paired with solar arrays allow facilities to store energy for use when the grid needs power most or when utility rates are higher, which can provide additional financial value for participants. These combinations can support grid reliability while offering predictable financial returns for project owners and community participants.
Financing is a key part of bringing projects to life, and Common Energy works with investors and lending institutions to structure capital that supports construction and long-term operation. By organizing financing arrangements that account for expected power generation and community credit allocations, the company helps make solar projects feasible in places where upfront costs might otherwise be a barrier for local involvement. This financial structuring also helps reduce risk for participants and ensures that long term benefits flow to those involved.
Benefits for Households and Local Economies
Households that participate in community solar programs through Common Energy can see reduced electricity bills as credits from local solar generation offset retail utility charges. By linking a portion of a home’s electricity use to nearby renewable power, families may realize financial savings that accumulate over years of system operation. For renters and households without suitable rooftop space for panels, community based solar offers a way to access the financial upside of renewable energy without installing equipment at individual residences.
Local businesses and nonprofits may also gain from participation in community solar. Organizations that use large amounts of electricity can pair solar credits with cost management strategies, which can free up funds for other priorities such as workforce development or facility improvements. In regions with high electricity rates or volatile energy markets, predictable solar credit allocations can provide budget stability for nonprofit service providers, schools and small enterprises.
Community solar can also support local employment during construction phases, when crews mobilize to install panels, battery systems and related infrastructure. While construction jobs are short term, they often inject money into local economies through wages and purchases of goods and services from nearby vendors, which can benefit service providers, lodging businesses and retail establishments. After construction, ongoing operations and maintenance create additional employment opportunities, which can further link renewable projects to local economic activity.
Scaling Shared Renewable Power
Solar energy continues to grow across many states as utilities, regulators and community groups pursue ways to expand generation capacity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from electricity production. Policies that allow community solar participation, such as virtual net metering and long-term contracts, have supported broader access to renewable power for households that cannot install rooftop systems. Common Energy’s work supports these policy frameworks by offering a model that facilitates local involvement and economic participation.
Critics of large utility owned solar argue that distant ownership can leave host communities with little benefit beyond land lease payments, which may represent only a fraction of the value created by the project. Shared ownership models seek to widen the distribution of benefits so that local participants see tangible return from nearby generation assets. By organizing agreements that allocate a portion of generation credits to residents, nonprofits and local organizations, Common Energy’s model lets communities capture value that might otherwise flow entirely to out-of-area investors.
Expanding access to renewable generation also involves outreach and education so that potential participants understand how credits appear on bills, how systems operate and what financial commitments are required. Common Energy provides resources and guidance that help neighbors make informed decisions about participation, which supports programs that are built around community needs and financial expectations.
Large solar projects that link generation with local participation may also attract interest from policy makers seeking to increase renewable energy adoption while ensuring equitable distribution of benefits. States with strong community solar rules often see higher enrollment in shared programs because households and organizations recognize the financial opportunities associated with local generation. Common Energy’s work aligns with these developments by facilitating projects that connect renewable power with community ownership and long-term economic benefit.
As solar generation expands, community-based models offer an alternative to traditional utility contracts that focus only on electricity delivery. Programs that let residents, landowners and organizations share in generation capacity can deepen the relationship between local stakeholders and energy infrastructure. Common Energy’s model shows one way that renewable electricity can play a role in economic participation while supporting broader efforts to grow clean power capacity across regions of the United States.
Richard Keiser, Founder & CEO, Common Energy
