Solar Panel Lease

Berea Solar Farm

Beginning in 2011, the Berea Municipal Utilities (BMU), with support from the City and an EECBG grant developed the 246 panel Berea Solar Farm on the grounds of the utilities operations center at 200 Harrison Road. The Berea Solar Farm offers the option to own a portion of the solar photovoltaic (PV) array for customers who want the experience of solar ownership but don’t have suitable space or ability to install it where they live. 

Customers and other community members are invited to lease solar panels for a one-time lease fee of $750 per panel.  This one-time fee covers a 25-year period.  In return, customers will receive credit every billing period for the electricity generated by their panels.  In this way participating customers gain access to solar generation at an excellent price (about $3.00 per installed watt).  The panels are owned and maintained by BMU and located on city property with excellent orientation to the sun and no shading.

Although anyone may lease panels, only metered residential customers (class 1 or 9) and commercial customers (class 2 or 3) may receive Panel Production Credit (i.e., credit on their electric bills for the electricity produced by these Solar Farm panels).   For each panel leased, a location within the BMU service territory must be specified.

 Who may want to lease solar panels?

Anyone, including people who don’t live in Berea!  But the Berea Solar Farm would seem to be ideal for customers (and others) who want local opportunities to invest in clean energy and

• Have homes, apartments or businesses – owned or rented – not well suited for solar installations due to issues with shade or directional orientation
• Can’t afford the relatively large cost of installing an entire system on their property
• Do not want to undertake the responsibilities of ownership
• Are attracted to the idea of leasing panels but donating the billing credit to an organization such as a church or school in the BMU service area
• Are attracted to being part of a community effort that will increase our energy resiliency and decrease the flow of Berea dollars out of the community
• Are attracted to helping Berea demonstrate the viability of one model for how local communities in Kentucky and elsewhere to respond to the need for leadership in the face of pressing global, national and statewide energy problems.

How can I sign up?

To lease a solar panel in the Berea Solar Farm, customers should download the License Agreement and return it with a check made out to BMU for the total amount due.  Each panel is $750.  Completed License Agreements can be dropped off at the BMU operations building at 200 Harrison Road or mailed to Berea Municipal Utilities, 200 Harrison Rd, Berea, Kentucky, 40403-0926.