Thank you for your interest in community solar! Cooperative Energy Futures (CEF) exists to ensure Minnesotans have access to clean, affordable, and renewable energy, developed by community members, designed to serve community needs, and owned by members to build community wealth for all while addressing historic injustice. This includes empowering communities across Minnesota through clean, local, and member-owned energy solutions.

Community Solar Gardens (CSGs) are for Everyone!

  • Anyone with an Xcel electric bill can subscribe. Renters welcome! No permission needed from your landlord.

  • The solar panels are located on an industrial roof, parking ramp or in a large field, so no physical changes to your residence are needed.

  • The only upfront money is a one-time $25 membership fee. We offer flexible payment options if the $25 membership fee is a barrier.

  • If you move and remain an Xcel customer in Minnesota, your subscription can transfer to your new address.

  • Community solar is flexible. You can cancel at any time and there are no termination fees.

Benefits of Cooperative Energy Futures Community Solar Program:

  • Reduce your energy costs: members see an overall savings of about 10%-20%.

  • You support renewable energy; fossil fuels use is the leading cause of climate change, asthma and other health threats.

  • CEF is a cooperative meaning our members support, benefit from, and own renewable energy.

How does Community Solar work?

  1. You subscribe to and own a portion of the energy produced by the community solar garden.

  2. As an energy generator, Xcel is required to pay you for the energy produced from your subscription. Your payment from Xcel comes in the form of a monthly bill credit.

  3. Some of your bill credit automatically goes to CEF to cover our costs for building and maintaining the CSG. The rest of the bill credit lowers the amount you owe Xcel every month. Savings amounts vary according to the size of your subscription and how much energy the CSG produces, but subscribers must, by law, save each month.

please fill out the form below to be put on our waiting list.

Our community solar gardens are currently full. We are developing new community solar gardens that are estimated to be finished in late 2026.