Nautilus Solar Energy Applauds Modernization of Colorado’s Community Solar Program

Summit, NJ (May 31, 2024) — Colorado Governor Jared Polis recently signed Senate Bill 24-207 into law, marking a significant milestone in the state’s community solar program. This legislation establishes new focus and vigor for the current program, by increasing energy equity and continuing Colorado’s work to decarbonize the grid.

“We are thrilled with the passage of SB24-207. As a Colorado Native, I am excited to continue Nautilus’s work with our network of development partners. Colorado was the first state to establish a community solar program and SB24-207 is a much-needed step towards revitalizing Colorado’s subscribers and ensuring that residents can access local, distributed clean energy,” said Laura York, Vice President of Structuring and Development at Nautilus Solar Energy®.

The bill upgrades Colorado’s community solar program by adopting policy best practices from more than 20 states. More specifically, the bill:

Delivers Meaningful Bill Savings to Income-Qualified Households:

• SB24-207 prioritizes community solar in disproportionately impacted communities, guaranteeing working families a 20% – 40% electric bill reduction.
• At least 51% of each community solar project will be reserved for income-qualified residential subscribers, maximizing federal funding to the state.

Increases Project Size:

• The capacity of projects would increase under the bill from 2 MW to 5MW.
• Requires that no more than 40 percent of any new facility’s capacity can be allocated to a single subscriber.

Enhances Subscriber Experiences:

• Seamless enrollment methods, consumer protections, and consolidated billing will be a priority.

Prioritizes Preferred Project Locations:

• The bill encourages projects sited on brownfields, optimizing land use efficiency.
• Dual-use practices like agrivoltaics -- where solar panels coexist with agriculture -- benefit both energy production and local food production.

Improves Collaboration with Third-Party Stakeholders:

• Nautilus Solar Energy welcomes the improved methods for third-party stakeholders to develop community solar projects. This collaboration will accelerate the deployment of clean energy infrastructure across Colorado.

Nautilus currently owns and manages 17 community solar farms, representing more than 30 MW in the state. These projects provide clean renewable power to nearly 5,000 Coloradans, while delivering local tax revenue, job opportunities, and energy savings, especially for low and moderate-income (LMI) families.

Colorado was a pioneer in community solar when it passed the Community Solar Gardens Act in 2010. Community solar programs allows Colorado residents to subscribe to a local community solar project and save money without the need to for rooftop installation or investment.

To subscribe to community solar or for more information about Nautilus Solar Energy, visit the website.

About Nautilus Solar Energy 

Nautilus Solar Energy®, LLC is a leading community solar company, providing cleaner energy to residential and commercial customers in local communities. Nautilus operates and manages solar farms in 10 states and is responsible for financing, development, maintenance, and customer service for the lifetime of the project. Founded in 2006, Nautilus has helped shape the future of solar to provide an equitable and affordable renewable energy choice for all. Nautilus is owned by Power Sustainable, a wholly owned subsidiary of Power Corporation of Canada. Power Sustainable is a multi-platform alternative asset manager with a long-term investment approach focused on sustainable strategies. For more information on Nautilus Solar Energy visit nautilussolar.com.  Join Nautilus on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

Contacts: 

Carlene Pruitt 

Nautilus Solar Energy 

908-795-3038  

Carlene@nautilussolar.com