Community ownership projects can take a variety of forms, but are generally owned by the communities in which they are situated. Some such projects see communities own, operate, and receive the energy from the solar installations themselves. In this case, people can reduce their reliance on large, for profit electric utilities (who often supply dirtier energy). 

Other models allow a degree of community participation in selection and operation of solar assets, or entail a transition to community ownership overtime. In many cases, grid community members will finance, own and run a solar project, but sell the energy to a local building or business (on which the panels are mounted), or to the wider grid. This way these projects can pay community members back for their initial investment, with any additional proceeds being reinvested in the community or more community solar generation.

Still, community ownership often faces regulatory and financial barriers. It can be difficult to raise initial funds, with lenders often being uninterested, getting grid connections is also often a long and expensive process, and such projects rely on community members having the time and expertise to put such a project together. All this reduces the scalability of community ownership. 

Nevertheless, Community ownership remains an important opportunity to help people transition away from fossil fuels while creating opportunities to increase equity within communities. Support at the local and national levels should help remove barriers, streamlining regulatory processes and unlocking new funding opportunities.

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• Community Solar Basics (US Department of Energy)

• Community Solar 101 (Community Solar Access)

• NREL Community Solar (National Renewable Energy Laboratory, NREL)

• Contact a local community ownership project, local government, or a local community energy organization to ask about getting involved.

• Support laws that provide funding for, or otherwise support community ownership projects.