Community Solar for Con Edison Customers

Most Con Edison customers cannot put panels on a roof. They rent, or they live in a co-op or a condominium, or the roof is a common element belonging to the building. Community solar exists for exactly that situation: you subscribe to a share of an off-site array, and the electricity it generates earns credits that reach your Con Edison bill.

How the credit actually gets to you

The array is a separate project connected to the grid on its own — front of the meter, not behind yours. It generates, and the value of its generation is allocated among its subscribers according to their share. Your allocation arrives as a credit on your Con Edison account.

You then pay the subscription provider for those credits, at a discount to their face value. That discount is the saving. It is not a large percentage, and any offer describing community solar as a way to slash your bill is overselling it — the honest framing is a modest, low-effort, no-capital saving.

Nothing is installed at your home. No equipment, no roof, no permit, no interconnection application, no landlord conversation.

The advantage nobody mentions

Community solar subscribers do not pay the Customer Benefit Contribution.

That is the monthly charge every rooftop solar customer who interconnected on or after 1 January 2022 pays on the DC size of their system — $1.29 per kW-month on Con Edison for 2026, about $124 a year on an 8 kW system. It applies to behind-the-meter systems. Community solar is a front-of-the-meter project and is exempt.

It is a small number, but it is a real structural difference between the two options, and it is almost never mentioned in a comparison.

Who it suits

• Renters. There is nothing to install and nothing to leave behind.
• Co-op and condominium residents. The roof is generally a common element, so a rooftop system is a board negotiation rather than a right. Community solar sidesteps it entirely.
• Shaded or north-facing properties, where a roof array cannot be made to work.
• Anyone whose roof needs replacing first. Rather than defer solar for several years, subscribe now and reconsider the roof later.
• Households without the capital or the tax liability to make an owned system pay.

What to check before subscribing

1. The cancellation terms. This is the most important clause. How much notice, is there a fee, and is there a minimum term? A good subscription is easy to leave.
2. What happens when you move. Within Con Edison territory a subscription can usually follow you. Moving to National Grid or PSEG Long Island territory is a different question entirely, and the answer should be in the agreement.
3. How the discount is expressed. A percentage off the credit value is the standard structure. Make sure you understand what you pay and what you receive, as two separate numbers.
4. Whether allocation is guaranteed. Your credits depend on the array’s actual production, which varies by season. Winter credits are smaller than summer ones, exactly as they would be on a roof.
5. Billing arrangement. Some providers bill you separately; some consolidate. Know which before you start.

What it does not do

It does not give you backup power — you have no equipment, so an outage affects you exactly as before. It does not add value to your property. It does not entitle you to the New York State solar credit on Form IT-255, which is for equipment at your principal residence rather than for a subscription. And it does not remove the basic service charge or the delivery charges from your Con Edison bill.

The honest comparison

If you own a suitable roof, have the capital and have tax liability to use, an owned rooftop system will save more over its life. Community solar is not competing with that. It is competing with doing nothing, which is the actual alternative for most Con Edison customers — and against that, a modest saving with no capital, no equipment and an easy exit is a straightforwardly good deal.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does community solar appear on a Con Edison bill?

As a credit on your Con Edison account, allocated from the off-site array's generation according to your share. You then pay the subscription provider for those credits at a discount to their face value, and that discount is your saving.

Do community solar subscribers pay the Customer Benefit Contribution?

No. The CBC applies to behind-the-meter systems interconnected on or after 1 January 2022. Community solar is a front-of-the-meter project and is exempt, which saves roughly what a comparable rooftop system would pay — about $124 a year at Con Edison's 2026 rate on an 8 kW equivalent.

What happens to my community solar subscription if I move?

Within Con Edison territory a subscription can usually follow you. Moving into another utility's territory is a different question and the answer should be written into the agreement — check it before you subscribe, not after.

Can I claim the New York solar tax credit for community solar?

No. The Form IT-255 credit is for solar energy system equipment installed and used at your principal residence, which a subscription to an off-site array is not.

Does community solar give me backup power in an outage?

No. You have no equipment at your property, so an outage affects you exactly as it did before. Backup power requires a battery installed at your home.

This article is general information, not tax, legal or financial advice. Incentive amounts, eligibility rules and deadlines change and depend on your utility, your tax situation and your property. Confirm current terms with NYSERDA, your utility and a qualified tax professional before making a decision.