Community Solar Consolidated Billing: An Exploration of Implementation and Alternatives

As community solar grows nationwide, customers sometimes face a confusing situation – getting a bill from their community solar provider and a separate bill from their utility.  Customers have to do their own math to calculate the savings from their subscription.

In other cases, utilities and community solar companies have joined forces to provide a single bill, with all charges and credits consolidated. Single bills provide increased transparency, improved customer experience, and, ultimately, increased retention rates and decreased subscriber acquisition costs. 

In a report for the National Community Solar Partnership (NCSP+) program, national lab researchers explore the issues around consolidated billing, including costs and benefits, software changes, consumer protection, and alternative approaches. 

Although consolidated billing offers significant benefits for community solar programs, particularly in customer understanding and satisfaction, its implementation can be complex and requires careful consideration of administrative, technical, and financial factors. This report helps states and utilities learn from the experiences of others to find the most suitable path forward.

A brief overview of this study can be viewed here.