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Frequently Asked Questions

Who is Solar Simplified? +

Solar Simplified is a platform that matches renters and homeowners who care about the environment and want to save money on the electricity bill with local solar farms. We take the hassle out of supporting renewable energy and make the sign-up process easy and transparent!

What is Community Solar? +

Community Solar is a convenient way for homeowners, renters, nonprofits, faith institutions, and businesses to benefit from clean energy while lowering their monthly electricity expenses. As program participants, Solar Simplified customers are not required to install panels on their property. This means that you will not have to worry about the financial investment or upkeep of panels to access solar energy. Instead, you will be connected to a local solar farm within your utility territory that produces solar energy on your behalf. By supporting and participating in Community Solar, you make a collective green impact with other like-minded members of your community and see energy savings each time we apply solar credits to your utilty account.

What are Solar Credits? +

Central Maine Power customers will receive their solar credits as a kWH offset to their actual energy usage. Your utility will bill you for the remainder of your usage charges, after the solar credits. Solar Simplified will invoice you separately for the solar credits used toward your bill. 1.) You will receive a 15% guaranteed discount from Solar Simplified on the solar credits we provide to you on your utility bill; 2.) You will pay less for your electricity costs than your utility's original charges to you; 3.) Each month we apply solar credits toward your electric bill, you save!

Does it cost anything to enroll? Are there any fees? +

There is no cost to enroll in Community Solar; you simply pay as you go for the credits you receive! You receive the full benefit of the solar credits and pay less to us for them because of your guaranteed 15% discount. If you are not satisfied with your Solar Simplified subscription, you may cancel at any time without penalty. It’s completely risk-free.

Do I have to own a home to qualify for Solar Simplified? +

No. Whether you own or rent, you are welcome to participate in Community Solar. Commercial properties and businesses may also qualify to participate, but it depends on your state and the individual project.

Will I receive two bills? +

You will continue to receive your monthly Central Maine Power (CMP) utility bills but they will be reduced because of solar credits you accrued with Solar Simplified. You will pay CMP the balance of their original charges to you. (See What are solar credits?) A Community Solar invoice will be sent to you after you have received your utility bill with solar credits. You will pay Solar Simplified separately for the solar credits you received but at your designated 15% discount.

Why can't I receive one bill? +

Right now, a consolidated billing format is not available with your utility. This means you will make two payments: one to your utility for the balance of your bill and one to Solar Simplified that is reduced by your 15% discount. Combined, these two payments will be less than the original electricity bill you should have paid directly to Central Maine Power.

Will I save money with a Community Solar subscription? +

Yes. A Community Solar membership will reduce your monthly electric bill. Each month, your assigned solar farm will apply solar credits to offset your electricity usage through your utility. These solar credits will be applied as a negative kWh to reduce what you are charged by the utility for your original electricity consumption. Solar Simplified provides a discount to you for the solar credits applied to your utility bill. Our Maine customers will save 15¢ on every $1 of solar credits applied to their electricity bills. We will apply your discount to an invoice you pay to us separately.

Will I ever receive surplus credits? +

Occasionally, there may be more solar credits available than your utility can apply toward your bill. This typically happens in summer months when there is an increase in solar energy production. If you have surplus credits, your utility may bank them for you and apply them to another month.

Community Solar sounds too good to be true. Is it? +

Community Solar is a risk-free opportunity that allows residents access to solar energy. It incentivizes customer participation in the program, in the form of savings, and helps your state reach its green energy goals.

Solar panels are expensive! What is my upfront investment cost? +

Good news, there is no upfront investment cost with Community Solar! When you join Community Solar, you are not purchasing or leasing solar panels. This means that you won't be burdened by the financial investment of installing and maintaining solar panels directly on your home. The developer of the solar farm will handle all of that!

Can I set up an automatic payment with you? +

Solar Simplified provides many convenient ways to pay your discounted invoice, including Autopay. To set up Autopay for your account, please visit solarsimplified.com/autopay or call (888) 420-9831.

What if I live in an area that isn’t very sunny? +

With Community Solar, you do not install solar panels on your property. Instead, you will be connected to a local solar farm, where solar panels have been installed. The solar farm will produce energy on your behalf and we'll distribute your portion of that energy to your utility provider. You will continue to receive your electricity service through your existing utility.

Are you an Energy Supplier (ESCO)? +

No, an Energy Supplier (ESCO) charges you for the energy your household consumes (uses). On the other hand, Solar Simplified offsets your electricity bill charges with renewable energy credits (solar credits) you accrue through our program. We help you save money on your original utility charges whenever solar credits are applied to your electricity bills. If your ESCO charges are consolidated with your utility's delivery charges, our solar credits will help to offset their charges, too!

Will I keep my current energy supplier? +

Yes! We are not replacing your electricity provider or supplier. That will not change. We will offset your usage through them with solar energy and you will save money on your energy costs.

What happens if I move? +

Please call our team as soon as you begin preparing for your move. Depending on where you move, you may be able to continue your Community Solar participation.

Will my electricity ever stop? +

No, your utility will continue to deliver electricity to you without interruption. In the event of a power outage or an emergency, you will need to contact your utility.

What happens if there isn't much sun in my area? +

Solar farms are built where there is adequate sunlight, in large unobstructed fields. More solar energy is produced typically in Spring and Summer months when there are more hours of daylight. Less energy will be produced in the Fall and Winter because of the chance of inclement weather.

Can I still enroll in Community Solar if I have solar panels on my home/property? +

If you have solar panels on your home or property, you are not eligible for Community Solar.

What if I'm already subscribed to another Community Solar farm? +

Your state's guidelines will only allow one Community Solar program enrollment per utility account. If you would like to switch Community Solar program hosts or discuss your potential savings with Solar Simplified, please call (888) 420-9831.

Can I enroll in Community Solar if I am on budget billing with my utility? +

Budget and balanced bill customers may not see their Community Solar energy savings right away. You will be billed for your monthly budgeted installment payment. At the same time, solar credits will offset be used to offset your actual usage, reducing what you are charged on your actual electric bill. If solar credits were used to offset your bill, you can anticipate an invoice from Solar Simplified that will be reduced by your approved discount. You will be responsible for payment of these invoices. At the end of your budget cycle, your utility will review your account and acknowledge the solar credits you received from Solar Simplified. You will then reconcile with them and will be issued a credit by the utility in the form or a one-time refund or reduced monthly budget bills in your next budget bill cycle. Cancelling budget billing will help you see the immediate benefits and impact of solar credits on your actual electricity charges. It may also help you understand your energy savings better. If you are considering cancelling your budget plan, we recommend first checking in with your utility to see where you stand with them (i.e., whether you are ahead or behing your actual bill charges). After canceling budget billing, your next utility bill will be adjusted to include any under or overpayments you may have made, so it will be helpful to speak with them first. Another option to consider is budgeting your payments during your highest bill months. That way you benefit from more level payments and community solar savings. Please call (888) 420-9831 if you have questions or need to review the above information with someone on our team.

I enrolled and l don't see any Solar Credits on my bill. +

Once your assigned solar farm goes live (i.e., is actively generating solar energy), your utility provider will need an estimated 2-3 billing cycles before they can apply solar credits to your electricity bill. Please refer to your welcome packet for details about how the solar credits will be recorded on your bill.

How do I cancel my subscription? +

Most utilities require additional time to complete their cancellation process, which includes applying all the solar credits your account has accrued to your utility statements. While these remaining solar credits are applied to your account, you will continue to receive your guaranteed discount. Please call our team at (888) 420-9831 to go over the cancellation process for your specific utility.

How can I pay my bill? +

We provide multiple options to make your invoice payments easy! For fastest processing, we encourage customers to set up Autopay. Next, you can make electronic payments using a debit or credit card either directly on our website payment page (solarsimplified.com/pay) or using the secure payment link in the eBills we sent you. We do not charge card processing fees as a courtesy to make paying your invoices as convenient as possible. Additionally, you may make payments over the phone, by Bill Pay through your bank, or by mailing a check to us. You may refer to your invoice or emailed bill payment reminder for more details. When making payments by check or through your bank's Bill Pay system, please consider the additional time needed for mail delivery and payment processing.