In 2024, building science professional Ben Scott was nearly finished with the more than 15-year process of electrifying his Ashland home. He had begun decades earlier with efficiency improvements like new windows and insulation and finished with the purchase of his family’s first electric vehicle. Getting all these systems running on solar energy was the final step he needed to make to slash his home’s emissions to virtually zero.
Unfortunately, Ben learned that he wouldn’t be able to install his own panels: His house, nestled under towering trees in Ashland’s north-facing hills, didn’t receive enough sunlight. So when he heard about Ashland Solar Cooperative — an organization helping community members access solar power through a shared-ownership model — he was immediately interested. “I jumped on board right away,” Ben said.
Solar power is helping shift energy systems away from climate-polluting fossil fuels — but access to rooftop panels remains out of reach for many people. Installing panels can lead to savings over time, but the upfront cost can be prohibitive. And for some homes, rooftop solar simply isn’t practical: A north-facing roof or heavy shade, for instance, can limit how much electricity these panels can generate.
Through Ashland Solar Cooperative, people who otherwise might not be able to install panels on their homes can participate in a shared solar project, paying an annual subscription fee for a share of a large solar array — a system of multiple solar panels. In return, participants receive credits on their electricity bills based on the amount of power their share of the array produces. Similar programs operate in communities across the state, from Bend to La Grande, offering another way for Oregonians to benefit from clean electricity.
“You don't have to have the right roof. You could even be a renter,” said Jim Hartman, board president of the Ashland Solar Cooperative. “All that’s required is for you to pay an electricity bill.”
Ashland Solar Cooperative’s array sits atop a leased city building, against a backdrop of rolling golden hills. Throughout Ashland’s baking summer months, the panels harvest the sun’s energy — but the electricity they generate doesn’t travel directly to members’ homes. Instead, Ashland uses a system called virtual net metering, in which the solar power flows into the city’s grid. Each cooperative member receives credits on their electricity bill based on their share of the array’s generation.
Those credits can also carry over from month to month. So when the panels produce more electricity than a member uses — like during those sunny summer months — the excess credits can be used to offset electricity consumption later in the year, including during the darker winter months.
For most members, the financial savings are relatively modest. Members typically save no more than about $50 a year, roughly 5% of what they would otherwise spend on electricity, Hartman said. The primary draw is the opportunity to support and participate in clean energy without installing solar panels themselves.
Low-income households, on the other hand, do have the opportunity to save significant amounts of money on bills. Ashland Climate Collaborative sets aside 10% of the array’s capacity for low-income households. Each of those homes averages 400 kWh kilowatt-hours per month, Hartman said. That’s enough to cover more than half of a typical American household’s electricity.
You don’t have to live in Ashland to benefit from community solar. Across the state, there are opportunities to participate. Cooperatives like the one in Ashland give members a voice in their operations — similar organizations have been founded in La Grande, Bend, and the Upper Willamette Valley.
For customers of Portland General Electric, Pacific Power and Idaho Power, there is another option: the Oregon Community Solar Program, a statewide program that connects utility customers with community-solar projects developed and owned by a range of organizations, including utilities and private developers. While this program isn’t a cooperative, its subscribers also purchase shares of a solar array and receive credits on their electricity bills. The program guarantees that for low-income customers, credits will always exceed subscription fees, leading to net savings.
For Ben, the benefits go beyond financial savings: “I think it's a great opportunity for people to have another avenue for participating in renewable energy when they can't do it on their own.”
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