State Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder, always legislatively active on the renewable energy front, will introduce a bill this session to legalize community “solar gardens,” according to the Boulder Daily Camera.

The bill would allow people to buy into a solar array not on their property and receive Xcel Energy credits for the resulting electricity.

solar farm

“The intent of (the bill) is so people can have the benefit of what they would get if they had solar panels on their rooftops,” Levy told the Camera. “It’s for people who are renters, who live in condominium projects and don’t have rooftops, people whose lots are shaded, people whose houses aren’t the right orientation — a whole variety of things.”

The bill would allow more flexibility in green building codes that currently require photovoltaic panels to be located on a homeowner’s property. Property owners associations, neighbors or private investors would be able to work out deals to locate solar arrays that homeowners could then buy into.

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