The U.S. community solar sector has officially crossed a landmark threshold: 10 gigawatts of cumulative installed capacity. That's enough clean energy to power roughly 1.8 million American homes, and it marks a major milestone for a segment of renewable energy designed specifically to make solar accessible to people who can't put panels on their own rooftops.

What Is Community Solar?

Community solar projects are shared solar installations — typically built on open land or commercial rooftops — that allow multiple households or businesses to subscribe and receive credits on their electricity bills. Renters, condo dwellers, and homeowners with shaded roofs can all participate without installing a single panel.

The model has been expanding rapidly. According to a new report from Wood Mackenzie and the Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA), the sector installed 1.4 GW in 2025 alone, and more than 8 GW of additional projects are currently in development, with 29 percent already under construction.

Growth Despite Headwinds

The milestone comes despite a 25 percent contraction in annual installations last year, driven by slowdowns in mature markets like New York and Maine. But analysts expect a rebound in 2026, projecting 12 percent growth as new state programs and project pipelines begin to offset those headwinds.

Illinois and Mid-Atlantic states are expected to drive national numbers in 2026, while long-term growth hinges on new programs in Ohio, Iowa, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. A promising new avenue is community-scale projects up to 20 MW that connect directly to the distribution grid, helping utilities meet surging demand.

Cheaper and More Accessible

The cost to acquire subscribers fell 12 percent on average in 2025, thanks to consolidated billing and digital marketing tools. Low-to-moderate income households — the people community solar was specifically designed to help — remain the most expensive segment to reach at $100 per kilowatt, but programs targeting these communities are expanding.

The subscription management market is also consolidating: four major entities now manage 55 percent of all operational community solar capacity in the U.S., following Perch Energy's acquisition of Solstice.

The Road to 2030

Wood Mackenzie projects the industry could exceed 12 GW of potential through 2030 in its base case. In a high-growth scenario with favorable state policies and interconnection reform, the five-year outlook could jump by an additional 1.2 GW. The looming expiration of the Investment Tax Credit in 2030, however, remains a concern.

"Community solar is one of the most democratic forms of clean energy we have," said Jeff Cramer, CEO of CCSA. With Earth Day coming this Wednesday, the 10 GW milestone is a timely reminder that the clean energy transition isn't just about massive wind farms and utility-scale installations — it's also about giving ordinary households a stake in the future.