Once you have enrolled in Community Solar and your project is live, your utility company will apply solar credits to your monthly electricity bill. Solar credits applied offset your electricity costs and show up as a reduction to your total charges. Solar credits are usually listed as a “transfer” or “adjustment," but the format will vary depending on the utility.
You can expect to see a deduction on your bill within two or three billing cycles after you sign up — or two or three billing cycles after your local solar project is powered on, if it’s still under construction. What the billing process looks like, however, depends on whether your account is on Standard Dual Billing or Consolidated Billing.
Utility Consolidated Billing vs. Standard Dual Billing
Utility Consolidated Billing
If your state and utility company participate in Utility Consolidated Billing, you will not receive a separate monthly invoice from Altus Power. The value of your solar credits will be adjusted based on the discount guaranteed in your Altus Power agreement, and your final savings will be deducted from your total charges.
Standard Dual Billing
Standard Dual Billing customers receive two bills each month — one from their existing electric utility company and one from Altus Power — but they’re still saving money over the course of the year. If you’re on Standard Dual Billing, you’ll notice that your monthly utility bill balance is typically lower, thanks to the solar credits you’re earning from the Community Solar project you’re subscribed to.
Your Altus Power bill, meanwhile, will charge you for those credits at a discount. Therefore, even though you’re paying two bills, the total charges for the two bills combined is less annually than what you would have paid before subscribing to Community Solar.
You can expect to see a deduction on your bill within two or three billing cycles after you sign up — or two or three billing cycles after your local solar project is powered on, if it’s still under construction. What the billing process looks like, however, depends on whether your account is on Standard Dual Billing or Consolidated Billing.
Utility Consolidated Billing vs. Standard Dual Billing
Utility Consolidated Billing
If your state and utility company participate in Utility Consolidated Billing, you will not receive a separate monthly invoice from Altus Power. The value of your solar credits will be adjusted based on the discount guaranteed in your Altus Power agreement, and your final savings will be deducted from your total charges.
Standard Dual Billing
Standard Dual Billing customers receive two bills each month — one from their existing electric utility company and one from Altus Power — but they’re still saving money over the course of the year. If you’re on Standard Dual Billing, you’ll notice that your monthly utility bill balance is typically lower, thanks to the solar credits you’re earning from the Community Solar project you’re subscribed to.
Your Altus Power bill, meanwhile, will charge you for those credits at a discount. Therefore, even though you’re paying two bills, the total charges for the two bills combined is less annually than what you would have paid before subscribing to Community Solar.
Example for illustrative purposes only
Let’s say your utility bill this month is $400, and you receive a credit of $300 on your utility bill in exchange for the energy generated from your portion of the solar farm. In other words, you will pay your utility company only $100. Then, Altus will bill you for those solar credits at a discounted rate. If we agree on a 20% discount, then you’d be paying us a total of $340 instead of $400 this month — saving you $60!In either billing scenario, which depends on your state and utility company, you will receive the solar discount guaranteed in your subscriber agreement.
If you need help locating or understanding the solar credit applied to your electricity bill, or if you need help understanding your Altus Power invoice, do not hesitate to email our Customer Experience Team at hello@altuspower.com.