Community Solar Continues its Success with Legislative and Regulatory Wins Across the U.S. in 2024

WASHINGTON — The Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA) announced numerous industry wins from around the country, with pivotal legislative and regulatory victories positioning community solar for continued development in 2025. From shaping federal initiatives to unlocking new opportunities in states like Alaska, Colorado, New Mexico, and Virginia, legislators continue to reinforce community solar’s role as an integral piece of America’s energy future.

“2024 saw some great wins for community solar,” said Jeff Cramer, CEO of CCSA. “In markets across the country, there is bipartisan recognition that community solar can lower energy costs, provide customer choice, and drive local economic growth. Heading into 2025, the industry’s focus is clear: build on this momentum to cut red tape in markets that prohibit community solar and work with regulators to expand existing programs. This will ensure all customers and communities have the opportunity to benefit from affordable, local solar energy.”

Community solar has seen significant growth thanks to support at the federal and state levels. According to energy data company Wood MacKenzie, U.S. community solar capacity is expected to surpass 14 GWdc by 2029. 

A majority of the industry’s installed capacity comes from the four largest community solar markets: Illinois, Massachusetts, Minnesota and New York. However, 2024 brought a number of significant legislative and regulatory achievements that will spur additional growth in additional community solar markets: 

• Virginia: Governor Glenn Youngkin signed into law SB 253 and HB 106 which expanded shared solar access by 150 MW for Dominion Energy customers and established a new 50 MW program in Appalachian Power territory.
• Colorado: Governor Jared Polis signed into law SB 24-207 a bill that will modernize the state’s community solar program and enable a new dispatchable distributed generation program.
• New Mexico: The state’s Public Regulation Commission expanded the state’s community solar program by 300 MW of new capacity. 
• Alaska: The Republican Legislature and Governor passed SB 52 to create a new third-party community solar program in the state. This marks the first super-majority Republican state to pass enabling legislation for community solar.
• Massachusetts: The state passed a climate bill that streamlined local permitting for community solar projects, instituted net crediting, and reformed interconnection enabling 800 MW of distributed generation.
• Pennsylvania: While the state didn’t pass community solar legislation, 2024 marked the first year community solar passed out of the House, laying the groundwork for continued progress in 2025.
• American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC): Sponsored by conservative county commissioner Lori Saine, conservative legislative member organization ALEC unanimously passed a resolution that supports community solar and agrivoltaics permitting for farmers. 

Looking Ahead to 2025

"Community solar is proving its value at every level—lowering bills, creating local jobs, and diversifying America’s energy portfolio," said Tom Hunt, CCSA Board Chair and CEO of Pivot Energy. "As the energy landscape evolves, 2025 offers a historic opportunity to scale community solar nationwide and ensure it remains a key pillar of U.S. clean energy policy."

2025 could be another big year for the community solar industry. Bills that would enable new community solar markets are expected to be considered in California, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Washington, and Wisconsin with bills enjoying support from both sides of the aisle and broad coalitions. In states with existing community solar programs - Colorado, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, and Virginia - stakeholders will continue to modernize, streamline and grow programs so more people in those states can access the benefits of community solar.

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About CCSA

CCSA is a national trade association representing over 125 community solar developers, businesses, and nonprofits. Together, we are building the electric grid of the future where every customer has the freedom to support the generation of clean, local solar energy to power their lives. Through legislative and regulatory advocacy, and the support of a diverse coalition — including advocates for competition, clean energy, ratepayers, landowners, farmers, and environmental justice — we enable policies that unlock the potential of distributed energy resources, starting with community solar.

From the Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA)