Earlier this summer Colorado Governor Bill Ritter “signed legislation that will let renters and others who are unable to install solar panels on their own roofs to join forces and create community ‘solar gardens’.” According to the press release, House Bill 1342 – as its known – “allows renters and homeowners and businesses without solar access to own a portion of an off-site solar farm. Subscribers in a solar garden will own a fraction of the system and reap the same financial benefits through utility bill savings as if the system was physically installed on their home or business.” The press release claimed that “Colorado expects to have 100,000 solar rooftops by 2020.” This bill helps push the state toward a clean energy future and accomplishing the goal of 30% renewable electricity generation by 2020.

Ecopolitology.org reports that the legislation will allow people without rooftop access, such as apartment dweller or condo owners, “to take advantage of local solar incentives and take part in the burgeoning residential solar industry.” By allowing greater access to solar energy, the market increases greatly. Similar to co-ops or community gardens, the solar gardens will enable people to join together, increasing their buying power, so that they can support solar generated energy.

Innovations in addition to subsidies will play an important role in making solar energy more accessible. Prices have come down in the past few years, but rebates and tax incentives have also decreased in various locales. Long term thinking is necessary when considering the payback and benefits of installing solar power systems. Solar gardens offer one option to reduce dependence on finite resources, while making solar generated electricity more accessible.

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