NORTHERN SOLAR COMMUNITY SOLAR GARDEN
Community solar is ideal for members who want to harness the power of the sun's energy, but lack a suitable site or funds for a solar array of their own. It's also great for those who want to support locally-produced solar energy, without the hassle and on-going expenses of operating, maintaining, and insuring personal equipment.
Beltrami Electric's Community Solar array is located at our headquarters facility and consists of 180 panels with a projected annual output of 450 kWh. Subscriptions are available to Cooperative members.
Beltrami Electric Cooperative has an 80 kilowatt (kW) Direct Current (DC) community solar array at our headquarters. The array consists of 180 photo-voltaic panels, each with a projected annual average output of 450 kWh.
Northern Solar provides interested members an option to receive renewable, locally-produced, solar electricity without the hassle of installing, permitting, maintaining and insuring their own solar array. Members may subscribe to as many panels as they wish, up to the equivalent of their annual average usage.
Members who wish to subscribe to Northern Solar have multiple options to consider:
-
Members can subscribe to panel(s) with a One-Time upfront payment option and receive the energy produced by the panel(s) for the balance of the contract as a monthly credit on their electric bill. (Estimated credits to be applied through 2036)
-
Members may choose a financing option - Easy Pay - which allows members to select a 12, 24 or 36 month payment plan, with no money down at 6% interest. They will receive a monthly credit on their electric bill for the balance of the contract (estimated credits to be applied through 2036)
-
Members may choose to Pay As You Go - this option does not include a contract. Members may simply tell us how many kWh/month they would like to come from Northern Solar and we will add it to their monthly electric bill. With no contract, members may increase, decrease or cancel at anytime.
Contact our Energy Services department at (218) 444-2540 or (800) 955-6083 if you have questions or if you would like more information about Northern Solar.
Northern Solar FAQs
To provide interested members an option to purchase renewable, locally-produced solar energy.
When you participate in community solar, you're choosing an alternative to fossil-fuel consumption. Solar energy is clean and abundant. Additionally, monthly credits will be calculated based on the current electric rate. That means if rates go up, the value you receive from your panel(s) production will too.
No. All equipment in installed at Beltrami Electric Cooperative's headquarters. BEC is responsible for operating, maintaining and insuring the solar array for the 20-year life of the program.
You are not purchasing the physical equipment, but rather subscribing to a portion of the energy output of the solar array.
With Northern Solar, you don't have to worry about assembling or wiring your own solar power. The panels in the Northern Solar array are installed at Beltrami Electric Cooperative and are rated to last through 2036. BEC handles all maintenance requirements.
This is the perfect program for those interested in solar power who may not be able to install their own panels. All you have to do to begin receiving solar power is purchase a subscription or sign up for Pay As You Go.
With a subscription, possibly. This depends on the actual cost of electricity in the future. Based on current electric rates, participants will actually pay more for the solar electricity they use, as currently energy produced by the solar array is more expensive than traditional energy sources. As the cost of electricity increases over the term of the subscription, it is reasonable to conclude that one would save money at some point.
The member participation agreement terminates at the end of the community solar program, in 2036. However, BEC will monitor and evaluate advances in solar technology to determine whether a new project would begin or an extension of the agreement would be possible at that time.
Residential and commercial members may subscribe to as many panels as they wish, up to the equivalent of their annual average usage.
Yes! The Pay As You Go plan is administered separately. If you have already subscribed to a panel(s), your contract will remain in place, along with your monthly credit.
Stop into our office or complete the fillable pdf form below and return to Beltrami Electric with selected payment option.
If you subscribed to a contract, and you move anywhere within BEC's service territory, your subscription moves with you. If you move out of BEC's service territory, you may elect to transfer or assign future panel production credits to another individual or entity within Beltrami Electric's service territory.
If you signed up for Pay As You Go, you can cancel your participation at any time.
Northern Solar is a community solar array at Beltrami Electric Cooperative's headquarters. Built in 2016, the array consists of 180 photo-voltaic panels, each with a projected annual average output of 450 kilowatt-hours (kWh).
Northern Solar provides interested members an option to receive renewable, locally-produced, solar energy without the hassle of installing, permitting, maintaining and insuring their own solar array. Members may subscribe to as many panels as they wish, up to the equivalent of their annual average usage.
