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Non-Profit "Buy a Brick" Model
While this is not strictly “community solar” in that the donors do not share directly in the benefits of the solar installation, the donors do share indirectly, by lowering energy costs for their favored non-profit and demonstrating environmental leadership. In addition, with emerging state policies such as virtual net metering and group billing, there may be possibilities for a non-profit project sponsor to share benefits with their donor/members. In a variation on non-profit ownership, a non-profit may partner with a third party for-profit entity, which can own and install the system and take the tax benefits. This model has been deployed successfully in the California Multifamily Affordable Housing program and at other non-profit locations throughout the country.
Non-profit organizations such as schools and churches are partnering with local citizens to develop community solar projects. Under this model, supporters of the non-profit organization help finance the system through tax deductible donations. While the non-profit is not eligible for the federal commercial ITC, it may be eligible for grants or other sources of foundation funding that would not otherwise be available to a business. An example of this model is the “Solar for Sakai” project on Bainbridge Island, Washington, in which a community non-profit raised donations for a solar installation, and in turn donated the installation to a local school.
The Winthrop Community Solar Project is a good example of the non-profit model.
