Syracuse Community Solar

Syracuse Community Solar is a partnership between the City of Syracuse and EnergySmart CNY, Central New York’s Regional Clean Energy Hub. The program connects Syracuse residents and businesses to an official Community Solar provider, Solar Simplified, to subscribe to local solar farms and receive monthly savings on utility bills.

Syracuse Community Solar offers renters, homeowners, and businesses the opportunity to benefit from solar energy without having to pay upfront costs of equipment and installation. Instead of solar panels on your property, participants subscribe to a portion of solar energy produced at a local solar farm and receive credits on their utility bill for that energy. Subscribers can receive up to 10% savings on their National Grid electric bill, or 20% for income-qualified participants. Participation is voluntary and free, with no additional fees or long-term contracts. Enrollment is available on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to available solar capacity.

How it Works

Solar panels are installed locally. New York State requires new solar farms to provide solar credits to subscribed participants at a discounted rate. Solar credits are the share of energy produced by a solar farm.
You access the clean, discounted energy through subscription to the solar farm. Your utility provider stays the same.
Clean energy from local solar farms is transferred through National Grid to your building.
Subscribers receive solar credits on their electric bill, then pay for those credits at a discounted value, lowering the total bill.

How You Save Money

You receive solar credits on your National Grid bill, reducing your electricity charges.
You only pay for those credits — at a set rate of 90% of the solar credit value, or 80% of the solar credit value for income-qualified participants.
You keep the remaining 10% or 20% of the savings, lowering your total bill.

About Solar Simplified

Solar Simplified is a national Community Solar provider that works with cities and communities to make Community Solar easy and accessible. Solar Simplified manages enrollment, billing credits, and customer support for the Syracuse Community Solar program.

Solar Simplified was selected through a competitive process as part of the EnergySmart CNY Community Campaign due to their experience, quality, and ability to offer a 20% discount to income-qualified accounts.

How to Sign Up

Step 1.Program Eligibility

Syracuse Community Solar is for Syracuse renters, homeowners, and small businesses who do not already have solar panels installed on their property. All subscribers are eligible for a 10% discount. Income-qualified subscribers are eligible for a 20% discount. You must have a utility account to sign up.

Step 2.What You Need to Sign Up

Contact Information
Zip Code
National Grid Account Number
Low to Moderate Income Household Information (if applicable)

Step 3.Complete Online Form

Click on the button below to start the process. If you have any questions, contact Solar Simplified at 888-420-9831.

Step 4.Confirmation

Once your application has been processed, you will be automatically assigned to a solar farm. The program is available on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to available solar capacity. If you are not able to signup automatically, you will be notified as soon as a solar farm becomes available.

Step 5.Start Receiving Credits

It will take at least two billing cycles until you start seeing solar credits on your utility bill. For an example of how this will look on your National Grid utility bill, see the resources section on this page.

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