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Q Subscription Terms <br />To participate in a project, a potential subscriber must purchase a subscription. There are two primary subscription <br />models: pay upfront and pay-as-you-go. In a pay upfront model a subscriber purchases a subscription for a <br />onetime fee that covers the life of the agreement. The subscriber reaps the subscription benefits (utility bill credits <br />for energy produced) for the length of their subscription. In a pay-as-you-go model a subscriber pays in <br />installments, which are often based on the Community Solar Garden’s production attributed to their subscription. <br />Whichever route you choose, you will not actually own solar panels, you will own a subscription for the solar <br />energy system’s production. Xcel Energy customers can subscribe to as little as 200 watts of solar capacity or up to <br />120% of their average annual energy use. <br />Subscription Size and Price Questions <br />To participate, do I pay an upfront subscription fee, a monthly subscription fee, or a combination thereof? • <br />What is the subscription price? Is it an up-front price or a monthly charge? Is the subscription price all• <br />inclusive, or are there additional administrative or maintenance fees that may be charged? <br />Approximately how much energy will the system produce, and what portion of my energy use might I• <br />expect my subscription to offset annually? Based on your subscription rates, what would it cost me to cover <br />all of my electricity use? <br />What happens if my subscription’s energy production exceeds my energy bill during the year? What happens• <br />if it exceeds 120% of my energy use? Who benefits from my subscription’s excess production? <br />Additional Subscription Terms Questions <br />What is the term of my subscription (i.e., how long does it last; under what conditions is there an exit• <br />penalty)? <br />What happens if I move, want to cancel, or die? How will my shares be transferred? Is it my responsibility to• <br />sell it to someone else? <br />How much will I be paid for my subscription at the time of transfer or cancellation? • <br />What are the tax implications of my subscription? • <br />What happens to my subscription if the operator goes out of business or sells the garden?• <br />Describe the production and maintenance warranties included in the subscription agreement.• <br />What happens if the operator is unable to maintain and operate the garden? What are my remedies as a• <br />subscriber? <br />What happens if the garden is perpetually under-producing? What are my remedies as a subscriber?• <br />Q Looking for More Resources? <br />Use the CERTs Community Solar Gardens website with guides, updates, FAQs, and more:• <br />cleanenergyresourceteams.org/solargardens <br />Find subscription opportunities and compare companies on the Clean Energy Project Builder:• <br />cleanenergyprojectbuilder.org/solar-gardens <br />Get more questions for hiring a contractor by Minnesota Department of Commerce:• <br />cleanenergyprojectbuilder.org/hiring-company <br />Explore the Community Solar Garden Guide by the National Renewable Energy Lab (NREL):• <br />nrel.gov/docs/fy11osti/49930.pdf