Community Solar Garden Study, 2024

Synapse assessed the benefits, costs, and impacts on ratepayers of Minnesota's new community solar program aimed at low- and moderate-income residents. The analysis concluded that the program would provide more benefits than costs. Based on this, Synapse made recommendations to improve its cost-effectiveness. Proposed changes were designed to ensure that a larger share of the benefits from distributed solar facilities would go to participating customers, many of whom are from low- and moderate-income households. This report was prepared for the Minnesota Legislature in collaboration with the Great Plains Institute and the National Association of State Energy Offices.