The Columbia Utilities Department is seeking more subscribers for its Community Solar program. Columbia residents that pay a utility bill can use up to 1.5 kilowatts of solar power per month without installing their own panels.
Participants pay a one-time registration fee and monthly subscription of $24.77 on top of their electricity bill. City Utilities Communications and Outreach Supervisor Jason West said the program offers a credit that offsets the monthly cost.
"Then it almost balances out to not costing anything," West said. "But it's under 10 dollars at the end of the day."
The subscription and registration fees are put toward maintenance of the solar farms included in the program. West said the utilities department could expand Columbia's solar energy sources as more customers register and pay into the program.
"This is a program that could look more toward a college student or young adult that doesn't have a house but would like to participate in having solar power or more renewable energy," West said. "So, they can sign up for this program and be helping further those types of efforts."
West said approximately 55 residents are currently participating in the program. Space is limited, but West said the program is "nowhere" close to capacity.
As more residents participate, the Community Solar program could decrease Columbia's electric bills over time. Professor Taesic Kim, with the University of Missouri's Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, said the additional source of energy would help redistribute the load on Columbia's electric grid during peak power periods, which is when demand peaks for electricity, and rates increase.
"It is always a win-win strategy from the customer perspective, utility perspective," Kim said.
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