Melissa Hortman Community Solar Garden Program
Minnesota community solar
For Xcel Energy customers.
At a glance
- Program
- Melissa Hortman Community Solar Garden Program (opens a page outside this site)
- Minnesota’s community solar garden program. The Minnesota Department of Commerce runs it for gardens approved from January 1, 2024. Older gardens stay in Xcel Energy’s earlier program.
- Who can join
- Xcel Energy customers (opens a page outside this site)
- Xcel Energy customers in Minnesota. Gardens are up to 5 MW and serve Xcel Energy’s Minnesota territory.
- How you’re billed
- Two bills, or one if you choose (opens a page outside this site)
- You can get two bills: your Xcel Energy bill plus a separate subscription bill. In the current program, you can also choose one Xcel Energy bill that includes your subscription.
- See a bill example
- Income-qualified path
- State savings rule (opens a page outside this site)
- Reserved space in every current garden, and a limit on what income-qualified subscribers pay.
How it works
How it works in Minnesota
Nothing is installed at your home. Your utility still delivers your power and sends your bill.
- 1
Check your utility
You need an Xcel Energy electric account in Minnesota.
- 2
Join a garden with room
Your subscription is tied to a solar garden in Xcel Energy’s Minnesota territory.
- 3
See credits on your Xcel Energy bill
Credits post each month based on the garden’s production.
Billing
How billing works in Minnesota
You may get two bills each month, unless you choose one bill.
With two bills (dual billing), your Xcel Energy bill shows your solar credits, and the garden’s subscriber organization sends you a separate bill for your subscription. In the current program (opens a page outside this site), you can choose to get one Xcel Energy bill instead.
Bill 1: Xcel Energy
Your usual electric bill, with your solar credits subtracted.
Bill 2: Your subscription
A separate bill for your subscription. It costs less than the credits you received.
Or choose one bill
In the current program, your subscription can go on your Xcel Energy bill instead. Older gardens may work differently, so we confirm it for your garden.
Example: a $200 bill with $150 in credits
Your subscription costs 10% less than your credits are worth. Example only, not a quote.
Bill 1: Xcel Energy
- Electric bill
- $200
- Solar credits
- −$150
- You pay
- $50
Bill 2: Your subscription
- Credits received
- $150
- 10% discount
- −$15
- You pay
- $135
Total for the month: $50 + $135 = $185
You save $15 vs. $200
The discount applies to your credits, not your whole bill. If you choose one Xcel Energy bill, the same amounts appear on that one bill. Your actual bill, credits, and discount depend on your usage and your project.
Income-qualified
Income-qualified households in Minnesota
- At least 30% of each current garden is reserved for low- and moderate-income subscribers, and 55% combined with affordable-housing and public-interest subscribers.
- At gardens approved since January 1, 2024, an income-qualified subscription can’t cost more than 90% of the subscriber’s bill credit value.
- Income-qualified credits use the average retail rate for residential customers.
- Households can qualify through an approved assistance program, or with household income at or below 150% of area median income.
Utilities we serve
In Minnesota, we enroll customers of:
- Xcel Energy
FAQ
Minnesota questions, answered
Who can join community solar in Minnesota?
Xcel Energy customers in Minnesota can join a current-program garden that has room. The program is limited to Xcel Energy’s Minnesota service territory, so it isn’t statewide.
Is anything installed at my home?
No. The solar garden makes the electricity. Your share becomes a credit on your Xcel Energy bill.
Will I get one bill or two?
You may get two: your Xcel Energy bill showing your credits, plus a separate subscription bill (dual billing). In the current program, you can choose one Xcel Energy bill instead. Older gardens may work differently, so we confirm it for your garden.
How can an income-qualified household qualify?
Through an approved assistance program, or with household income at or below 150% of area median income. The garden’s subscriber organization confirms eligibility with the required paperwork.
What is the Melissa Hortman Community Solar Garden Program?
It is the name a 2026 law (opens a page outside this site) gave Minnesota’s community solar garden program. The law was signed April 14, 2026.
Guides
Reading for Minnesota households
See if community solar fits your Minnesota home.
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