Community Solar FAQs

To enroll, the member and location must meet the below requirements:

• Residential, single phase account billed under rates 1, 2, 6, 27 and 72
• Served by Dairyland Power (Districts 1-9)
• Not already have member-owned renewables behind the meter (billed as rate 13)

Subscriptions are being offered in 2.5 kW blocks, with an estimated gross annual production of 5,250 kWh in the initial years (and an estimated annual production decrease of 0.5%). A member may sign up for one or two blocks, as long as their annual consumption equals or exceeds the expected annual production of the subscription level.

Visit www.jcecoop.com for more information about the Community Solar Project, and complete your interest form. If you have questions after visiting the site, please e-mail communitysolar@jcecoop.com.

Due to expected high interest, please allow up to one calendar week for your JCE Co-op team to review your interest request for program eligibility. You will be contacted whether eligible or ineligible. During that time, if you have any questions regarding the project, please e-mail communitysolar@jocarroll.com. 

If you remain in JCE Co-op’s service territory, and move to an eligible location, we will provide a seamless transfer from your prior service location to your new one. 

You have the right to assign the subscription to another member if you wish and JCE Co-op will assist you with processing the transfer. There are no fees associated with this transfer. 

No. The existing meter at your house will support your subscription. 

No, due to the limited quantity of subscriptions available, the community solar project is only open to those who do not already have their own solar. Allowing those who cannot install solar due to zoning or association rules, poor geographical location, or renters, the opportunity to support local-generated renewable energy. 

No, subscriptions are handled as virtual net metered accounts, under the Illinois Shines Program, and and any generation credits are to be credited to one location as specified in your subscription contract. 

Yes, any excess generation is carried forward through the customer selected annual anniversary date, either April or November. The credits reset to zero on the anniversary date.

The difference between the total of the energy and generation charge and your subscription rate, which is defined in JCE Co-op’s Illinois Shines Subscription Rate, Policy No. 746. 

Under current rate structures (eff. 9/1/2020) the member will be credited or debited as follows, for every kWh their system produces over a production month. The Net of these values multiplied by the kWh will be shown on the billing statement:

A credit for their Energy Charge @ -$0.035 per kWh

A credit for their Generation Charge @ -$0.045 per kWh

A subscription charge @ +$0.065 per kWh

Net result -$0.015 per kWh credit

This community solar project is made possible due to renewable energy credit (REC) sales through the “Illinois Shines”, the state-administered Adjustable Block Program. This disclosure form provides you with information about your subscription and is a requirement of the Illinois Shines program. If you decide to enter into a community solar contract, you will be asked to sign this form, indicating that it has been provided to you. The form will be submitted to the Illinois Shines Program Administrator. The Program Administrator may contact you to verify that you received the form.

A community solar farm is a collection of solar panels that produce electricity for a group of individuals or businesses. Each member receives a pro-rata share of the electricity produced by the solar farm in order to displace electricity produced by other non-renewable sources.

JCE Co-op’s solar farm is approximately 100-kW.

The average electrical output is approximately 170,000 kWh per year.

A member who invested in the project purchased the capacity credits and is entitled to a portion of the kWh credits each month based on actual output.  The credits are dispersed as bill credits on the member’s monthly bill.

The term of the agreement is 20 years from the in-service date of the solar farm, based on the expected useful life of the array. Should the array continue to efficiently produce energy after 20 years, subscribers will be eligible to continue receiving energy credits.

A subscriber can transfer ownership to their new location within the JCE Co-op Service Territory, transfer the capacity credits to another JCE Co-op member’s electric account or JCE Co-op will purchase their credits back at a discounted rate.

JCE Co-op maintains the solar farm.

The project was constructed at the JCE Co-op headquarters in Elizabeth.

The project was designed to provide payback in 20 years.

The solar farm will not cause a rate increase for members who do not wish to participate.  The project was designed so there would be no cross subsidization of rates.