Altus Power Partners with New Leaf Energy on Development of 5 Community Solar Projects in Virginia

Altus Power is building five community solar projects in Virginia, bought from developer New Leaf Energy. Community solar means the power comes from shared solar farms rather than panels on your own roof. The five projects add up to 32 megawatts and are expected to serve about 5,000 homes once running.

The projects will operate under Appalachian Power Company's shared solar program, a system that lets eligible households and businesses sign up for credits on their electric bills without installing anything. If you are an Appalachian Power customer in Virginia, this is the kind of program to watch, since it is designed to offset rising electricity costs with credits rather than requiring any equipment or upfront cost at your house.

No sign-up details, savings amounts, or timeline for when the projects come online were given. Altus Power already runs community solar programs in other states and says it serves more than 40,000 subscribers nationwide, so this Virginia effort is part of a larger pattern of utilities and solar developers offering bill-credit programs instead of, or alongside, rooftop solar. If you want lower electric bills without installing panels, it is worth checking whether your utility offers a similar shared or community solar option in your state.