Shared Clean Energy Facility (SCEF) Program

Program Overview

Implementing Sector	State
Category	Regulatory Policy
State	Connecticut
Incentive Type	Community Solar Rules
Web Site	https://portal.ct.gov/DEEP/Energy/Shared-Clean-Energy-Facilities/Shared-Clean-Energy-Facilities
Administrator	Eversource and United Illuminating
Eligible Renewable/Other Technologies	Geothermal Electric, Solar Thermal Electric, Solar Photovoltaics, Wind (All), Biomass, Landfill Gas, Tidal, Wave, Ocean Thermal, Hydroelectric (Small), Anaerobic Digestion, Fuel Cells using Renewable Fuels , Thermal Energy from a Renewable Source
Applicable Sectors	Commercial, Industrial, Local Government, Nonprofit, Residential, Schools, State Government, Multifamily Residential, Low Income Residential, Institutional
Applicable Utilities	Eversource United Illuminating
System Capacity Limit	100 to 5,000 kW
Program Capacity Limit	50 MW per year
Participant Credit Rate	Program uses an opt-out model for 80% of project output, with utilities directly enrolling subscribers. Bill credit rate is 2.5 cents per kWh, and monthly payments are equalized based on annual estimates.
Low-Moderate Income Provisions	20% carve-out for low-income residents. 60% carve-out for combination of low-income customers, moderate-income customers, and low-income service organizations.

Summary

Residents or businesses can choose to invest in, or lease, a renewable energy system installation on the rooftops of their homes or businesses, or on their properties. However, some Connecticut residents and businesses are either not able to, or elect not to, invest in or lease an individual property installation for a variety of reasons (e.g., high installation costs, unsuitable rooftop orientation, shaded property, or because they rent instead of own their properties). Subscription to a shared clean energy facility (SCEF) provides an option that can be used to overcome such barriers, thereby expanding access to renewable energy to more households and businesses in the state. A SCEF enables multiple customers to benefit directly from that facility’s energy production. The SCEF program is authorized by Public Act No. 18-50 and allows Connecticut customers to participate in the renewables market when their home or facility cannot support renewable energy production. The SCEF program is a six-year competitive procurement program that will support up to 150 MW of new clean power generation in Connecticut; Public Act No. 22-14 expanded the program to 50 MW a year, up from 25 MW a year, creating a new program total of 225 MW.

Selected SCEF program generators will be provided with a 20-year tariff term from either Eversouce or United Illuminating (UI). SCEF projects will result in credits that will be applied to the bills of participating electric customers at no cost to those customers. Contact Eversource’s or UI’s SCEF representatives for more information.