Business View Magazine | Volume 8, Issue 10

116 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE VOLUME 8, ISSUE 10 of community solar,” says Pasi, “and we are fortunate to have been here when it all started.” Community solar is a group purchase scheme where businesses, schools, and residential properties buy solar power from a community solar garden or CSG owned by IPS. “Since most people don’t have the space or resources to deploy solar arrays at their location, CSGs act as a nearby source of solar energy that multiple power consumers can buy into to offset their power needs,” explains Pasi. “For instance, at the CSG, you may have 10 panels that contribute power to your home, and your neighbor 15, and the school district down the road 300. It builds this community aspect of solar and increases access for everybody.” For landowners, especially those with farmland, CSGs provide a way of utilizing idle land by hosting a solar garden while offering an essential service to surrounding communities. Currently, IPS’ portfolio of CSGs generates Two equity projects IPS has completed in keeping with this corporate culture are the Shiloh Temple Community Solar Project and the Edina Community Solar Project, both focused on providing solar energy benefits to low-to- moderate income disadvantaged communities. IPS provides two core services – commercial solar and community solar. On the commercial front, it offers end-to-end solar solutions, from feasibility studies to construction. It also assists customers in securing tax incentives and available financing programs to maximize project ROI. “Our goal with any commercial project we undertake is to ensure the customer gets a solution tailormade to their needs,” says Pasi. “For example, the needs of a church or temple will be very different from those of a freezer warehouse.” Community solar is the other service center IPS focuses on, a significant growth area in the state. “Minnesota is the national birthplace