GUC is set to become the second public utility in North Carolina to offer community solar to our residents. The results of our last two customer satisfaction surveys, along with increasing growth in our customer-owned renewable energy interconnections, has led to the development of GUC’s first community solar project. Construction on the solar farm will begin in March.
In our most recent customer satisfaction survey, 53% of respondents said they wanted to help reduce carbon emissions and would be willing to pay extra each month to do so. Most said they’d be willing to pay between $1 and $5 extra, with some saying they’d pay more than that.
“Providing renewable energy options for only those customers who are willing to pay for it is tricky outside of personal solar installation,” said Electric Planning Engineer Kyle Brown. “After researching and talking to other public utilities, we chose community solar. It allows our electric customers to access solar-produced electricity when they can’t install panels at their home due to cost, space, or rental status.”
How does community solar work?
Our Electric Department contracted with Axis Energy to construct a 500-kilowatt solar farm next to our Liquefied Natural Gas Plant across from Bradford Creek Soccer Complex. Upon completion, GUC will own, operate, and maintain the facility.
The farm will hold 1,120 panels generating 88,173 kilowatt hours a month - all of which comes into our energy grid. Residential electric customers will have the chance to subscribe to up to five panels.
Each panel will have a one-time set-up fee to cover the costs of enrollment and interconnection. Then each month, subscribers will receive a small credit for how much energy the panel produces, minus a small fee to cover operation, maintenance, and disposal. In the end, it should cost subscribers less than $5 per month, per panel.
To register or find more details, customers can visit guc.com or call 252-752-7166.
