Shared Solar FAQ

Use the options below to learn more about our Shared Solar program.

General Questions

What is the Shared Solar program?
Shared Solar is an easy way to get the benefits of cost-effective, locally generated solar energy to power your home or business. Participants are able to support solar even if they live in an apartment or condo or have a shaded roof.

Participating customers are able to reserve a portion of the electricity produced from the Shared Solar arrays with a stable electric rate through 2045. The power from the arrays is delivered to MGE's electric grid, replacing electricity generated by fossil fuels or other sources.

The second installation of MGE's Shared Solar program is currently sold out; however, interested customers are still able to join the waiting list if a new project comes online. There is no obligation to join the program by signing up for the waiting list, so check it out today.

Where is Shared Solar located?
MGE partnered with the City of Middleton to build the first array on the roof of the City's Municipal Operations Center (MOC), east of and visible from Highway 12 on the north side of Middleton.

A second array was completed in August 2020 at Middleton Municipal Airport. This expansion of the program allowed for additional customers to participate in Shared Solar. More than 2,000 customers have participated or are currently participating in the Shared Solar program.

How do I join the waiting list?
Join the waiting list by using our residential customer request form available here. Once we receive your request, we will place you on our waiting list in the order in which we received your request. If new shares become available, we will review your application, determine your eligibility and contact you to determine if you are still interested in participating. There is no obligation to purchase shares by joining the waiting list.

How much electricity is produced?
The first array located on the MOC has a capacity of 500 kilowatts (kW). Given the type and efficiencies of solar panels and other project components and our region's solar exposure, we have generated about 615,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually from the project.

The Shared Solar portion of the array at Middleton Municipal Airport has a capacity of 3.5 megawatts. The Shared Solar portion of this array produced more than 5.5 million kWh in each of its first three years of operation.

Are participants paying to own part of the solar array?
No. Participants reserve a portion of the electricity produced from the solar arrays.

Is the power delivered directly to the homes or businesses of participants?
The power from the Shared Solar arrays is delivered to MGE's electric grid. It replaces electricity that would have been generated by fossil fuels and other sources.

How does Shared Solar compare to buying a rooftop solar system? 
Buying your own system involves paying up front or taking out a loan for the cost of the solar system, along with other potential costs such as roof replacement or tree trimming as well as ongoing maintenance and insurance. There are both federal and state rebates currently available for rooftop solar, which can help offset the initial cost for those who are able to install panels on their home.

Joining Shared Solar involved paying a minimal upfront participation fee and your set Shared Solar rate for the solar energy per kWh. There is no need for installation, maintenance or replacement of equipment as MGE manages all of that for you. For all Shared Solar electricity, the per-kWh electricity rate will not exceed the current rate for the term of the agreement. Current participants in the program are now seeing savings based on the current standard electricity rate.

For both rooftop solar and Shared Solar, you pay an upfront cost in the short term to lock in your electricity rate to help protect against rate increases over time. Also, in both cases, you are supporting clean, local renewable energy to reduce your carbon footprint and help our community achieve net-zero carbon electricity.

Why is solar power more expensive today? I thought the energy from the sun was free.
The energy from the sun is free, but the cost of equipment used to convert that free energy into usable electric energy is still expensive. Costs for land and maintenance, as well as the intermittent nature of renewable energy, which requires more of it to be installed to help meet demand, also can create additional costs.

What if it is a cloudy day and the solar panels do not generate enough electricity?
We do everything we can to maintain and operate the system to maximize the amount of electricity you receive. Changes in the energy generated are normal because the amount of sunlight changes with the weather and seasons. The system will generate the most electricity in the summer when the sun is higher in the sky and the days are longer. It is also normal for solar panels to generate less energy over time as they age (about one-half of 1 percent less per year).

What if a storm damages the solar panels?
We do everything we can to make repairs and restore the solar system to optimal performance. Damage to the solar arrays will not cause participants to lose power. MGE will continue to meet the energy needs of the participants with other resources as long as there is no damage to the electrical system feeding their homes.

Can I monitor the solar project's energy production over time?
Yes. You can monitor the energy production of the solar arrays at mge.com/sharedsolarproduction.

What’s the difference between Shared Solar and MGE's Green Power Tomorrow (GPT) program?
Both of MGE’s renewable energy programs provide eligible electric customers with the opportunity to support electricity from clean energy sources. Under Shared Solar, customers pay a one-time, up-front fee to reserve a portion (up to half of their annual electricity use) of the energy produced at MGE’s Shared Solar arrays. Customers then pay a fixed price of $0.109 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) for their share of the energy produced by these solar arrays. The program is open to residential and small business electric customers of MGE.

Eligible electric customers can participate in both our Shared Solar and GPT programs.

Currently, the Shared Solar program is closed to new enrollments. If you're interested in supporting renewable energy, please visit our Green Power Tomorrow (GPT) or Renewable Flat Bill pages to learn about your options.

How does Shared Solar fit with MGE's Energy 2030 framework?
This community solar program was designed by MGE with help from our customers. Shared Solar is an example of the types of innovative programs, products and services through which we are partnering with customers to advance our Energy 2030 framework. Beyond our clean energy goals under Energy 2030, MGE is targeting net-zero carbon electricity by 2050. We'll continue to work with our customers to reach this ambitious goal.

Associated Costs for Residential Customers

How much does Shared Solar cost?
Participants paid a one-time participation fee of $47.25 per share at sign-up. 

The Shared Solar electricity rate is currently $0.101 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) and will not increase throughout the life of the program. Participants also pay a reduced transmission service rate (currently $0.008 per kWh) on all Shared Solar energy billed. This is 50% of the standard transmission service rate and reflects the benefit of local solar in reducing transmission costs. This rate will be periodically reviewed by the Public Service Commission of Wisconsin. Including all rates, the Shared Solar rate is $0.109 per kWh.

The total impact to a bill will vary based on current rates, rate class, usage and participation level. Current participants are typically seeing a slight savings on their bills compared to when the program began when there was a slight increase due to a marginally higher rate for the Shared Solar electricity.

How does this look on my bill?
Each billing period, MGE will calculate how much of the solar electricity is allocated based on the total generation of the Shared Solar arrays. This is the Customer Solar Output. The electricity allocated from Shared Solar replaces that from our standard electricity mix and will be shown as CS-1 on your bill. The rest of the electricity is billed at the standard rate.
Example bill for residential electric service participating in Shared Solar
What if I am on Time-of-Use?
For our customers who are on a Time-of-Use rate, the solar energy supplied through Shared Solar will replace electricity in your time-of-use periods in proportion to your use in those periods.

For example, if you use 30% of your total energy evenly across the three on-peak periods, your Customer Solar Output would be allocated at 10% for each of those periods (for a total of 30%). Also, 100% of your Customer Solar Output will be allocated to your base energy rate.

How much energy can residential participants purchase?
Participants were able to purchase up to 50% of their annual electricity use from the Shared Solar program, based on eligibility at the time of sign-up. 
 
For example, if a participant used an average of 6,000 kWh annually, they would be eligible to purchase up to 50% of this total, equaling nine shares, which would produce about 2,925 kWh of solar energy per year based on our first-year estimates.

The Shared Solar energy for which participants are billed is 100% of their electricity consumption or the electricity allocated from their share of the project during the month, whichever is less.

 The table below shows potential share options, the participation fee associated with that share size and the estimated energy produced (kWh) by that number of blocks each month, based on first-year generation estimates.

Associated costs chart

Participation for Residential Customers

Commercial Customers

Are all MGE commercial electric customers eligible to join the Shared Solar waiting list?
Customers who have an electric service meter on the Cg-3, Cg-4 or Cg-5 rate were eligible to participate. Since the project is fully subscribed, interested customers will be placed on a waiting list. If portions of the project become available (previous participant moves out of the electric service area or otherwise chooses to exit) within the first three years, MGE will offer available shares to the next customer on the waiting list. There is no obligation to purchase shares by joining the waiting list.

How much energy can I purchase? 
Participants are able to buy up to 50% of an eligible meter's annual electricity consumption.

For example, if an eligible service meter used an average of 50,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) annually, you could potentially purchase up to 76 shares, which is projected to produce about half that total annually (24,700 kWh). The participation fee for this election is $3,591 ($47.25 x 76 shares). The number of available shares to purchase may also be limited by an unusually low monthly consumption from the previous 12 months. The forecasted monthly energy production of the number of shares purchased may never exceed the monthly consumption.

The Shared Solar energy for which participants are billed is 100% of their electricity consumption or the electricity allocated from their share of the project during the month, whichever is less.

Can I transfer my shares from one business location to another?
If you move your business to a new location within MGE's electric service territory, your program participation may transfer to your new MGE electric account. MGE will work with you to determine if your shares are eligible for transfer. Participation ends if you move your business outside of MGE's electric service area.

Can I say my business is using renewable energy through my Shared Solar subscription?
Yes! Our team can work with you on some of the options available for customers who are participating in Shared Solar to help promote your support for clean energy and commitment to sustainability.

The energy you are purchasing through the Shared Solar program feeds our community grid. Your support for Shared Solar also helps us reach shared energy goals for our community. MGE is targeting net-zero carbon electricity by the year 2050. By partnering with our customers through programs such as Shared Solar, we can meet our goal.

How does the solar production of my shares align with my time-of-use electric rates?
Each month, a share will have a production profile based on overall solar generation that will be credited back to Shared Solar participants. The solar energy supplied through Shared Solar will replace an equal amount of kWh for which the customer would otherwise be billed the applicable electricity service per-kWh charges. When applicable, these kWh will be replaced across time-of-use periods in proportion to the customer's usage across these periods.

For example, if you use 30% of your total energy evenly across the three on-peak periods, your Customer Solar Output would be allocated at 10% for each of those periods (for a total of 30%). Also, 100% of your Customer Solar Output will be allocated to your base energy rate.

What happens if my business moves to a rate class that is no longer eligible to participate in Shared Solar?
Based on program requirements, your participation would end. The upfront participation fee is nonrefundable.

How can I power my business using 100% renewable energy?
For customers who sign up for Shared Solar for up to half of their annual electric use but would like to power their business with 100% renewable energy, MGE also offers our Green Power Tomorrow (GPT) program. Subscribers to GPT pay one cent more than their standard per-kWh electric rate to receive a percentage or specific dollar amount of their electricity from wind and solar resources in our region. MGE business customers may sign up to purchase a percentage (1% to 100%) of their monthly electricity use through GPT, or since electricity use can vary, customers can choose instead to purchase a specific dollar amount of GPT electricity each month. Both voluntary programs support the growth of renewable energy.

Shared Solar participants reserve a share of the electricity generated by a solar array in our community. GPT participants support wind and solar resources feeding our grid from throughout the region.

If your business has meters on Rate Schedules Cg-2 or Cg-6, then your business may be eligible for a Renewable Energy Rider (RER). Under the RER, MGE works with your business to develop a contract to serve all or a significant portion of the electric needs of your business with renewable generation. The customer is responsible for costs associated with sourcing the renewable generation and any distribution costs to deliver the energy to your business.

Can I cancel my participation?
Yes. You can leave the Shared Solar program at any time. When you notify us, MGE will resume billing you for all of your electricity use at the standard rates. The upfront participation fee is nonrefundable.

How do I complete my Service Agreement?
For detailed information on how to complete your Shared Solar Service Agreement via DocuSign, visit mge.com/SharedSolarContract.

How can I learn more?
Commercial customers can call (608) 252-7007 weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. or email sharedsolarbiz@mge.com.

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