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Going solar is a versatile way to reduce your utility bills and earn extra income. We’ve covered what carbon offset credits are and how you can sell yours. Still, there are other ways to get extra cash for the excess energy your panels may produce: joining a solar club. We will cover what’s a solar club, how they work and why you should join one. What’s a Solar Club? In short, solar clubs are programs designed to help micro-generators (residential, commercial or farms) earn money for the excess energy they produce by selling it back to the grid. Most solar club programs offer flexible rate plans that will pay micro-generators depending on how much power they export and adapt to the seasonal energy production fluctuations. How to Join a Solar Club The process to sign up for a solar club is pretty simple and standard: How You Make Money With Solar Clubs Most solar clubs offer two rates to compensate their members for the excess energy their panels produce: High Export Rate and Low Export Rate. The rate you choose will depend on how much energy your system is sending back to the grid.  Since the amount of energy solar panels produce tends to fluctuate throughout the year, solar clubs offer their members the flexibility to switch between rates to adjust to seasonal fluctuations. In practice, you may sign up for the High Export rate during the summer months and change to the Low Export rate in the winter. Solar clubs pay in cents per every kWh put back into the grid, and you’ll see how much you get paid back in your utility bill. Start Improving Your Solar Savings Today Solar clubs are a practical way to take advantage of your solar panels. The signup process is quick, and long-term benefits are worth it. If you don’t have a solar system yet, start the process today and book a free consultation to get an estimate of how much you can save in bills.

Our modern lifestyle has made our lives easier, but it also had a negative impact on Earth’s resources. While countries commit to contributing to preserve nature and reducing their carbon footprint, there’s still a long way to go to start seeing a positive change, and many industries have a hard time adjusting their operations to be more eco-friendly. Adopting clean and renewable energy sources like solar is one of the most impactful ways we have to keep powering our daily activities while helping reduce global warming, and small generators such as homes with solar panels can have a bigger impact with the energy they produce while earning some money in the process thanks to carbon offset credits. We will cover these credits, how they work, and how you can sell them. What Are Carbon Offset Credits? Carbon offset credits are instruments issued by governments or environmental agencies that allow the owner to emit a determined amount of greenhouse gases; one carbon offset credit is the equivalent of one metric tonne of CO2. One offset credit is created every time a clean energy system produces energy, avoiding carbon emissions. These credits are typically traded on carbon markets. They can be purchased by individuals, businesses, or governments to compensate for their own emissions, thus helping to combat climate change by “neutralizing” their carbon footprint. To ensure the offset credit system’s integrity, the emissions reduction achieved by projects or activities powered by clean energy are measured and verified by independent organizations to ensure that the claimed reductions are accurate and additional (meaning they wouldn’t have occurred without the offset project). Once a credit is used to offset emissions, it is retired, ensuring it cannot be double-counted.  Carbon offset credits are a valuable tool for addressing climate change, especially when reducing emissions in specific sectors or activities is challenging or expensive. Now that you know what carbon credits are, let’s explore how small clean energy producers can sell their carbon credits for extra income. How to Earn Money Selling Your Carbon Offset Credits Before you start earning money with your carbon credits, here are some considerations: Getting involved in the carbon credit offset market is time-consuming and requires extensive trading knowledge, which is why many micro-generators or people with smaller clean-energy projects choose to work with broker firms specialized in carbon credit trading. These companies audit, register, and sell the credits on your behalf for a commission fee, making it easier for individuals to participate in the carbon offset markets. Thanks to the rise of the carbon credit market in recent years, there are many companies that can help you sell your carbon credits. In Alberta, Solar Offset and Green Alberta Energy are good options to consider. Going Solar Is a Win-Win Getting solar panels is an investment that offers you more than saving money in bills. Earning money by selling the carbon offset credits your solar system produces can be a financially rewarding venture with a promising future, as companies and countries that can’t reduce their gas emissions are turning to carbon credits to meet their environmental obligations more than ever. If carbon credits are not a good fit for your interests, there are more ways to earn money with solar. Next, we will cover all you need to know about solar clubs and how you can take advantage of them.