About The Andover Glen Solar garden Project

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• Andover Glen HOA and Individual Homeowners
• Apollo Solar (Nick Patrick)
• EM Energy Services (Mat Keifer)
• Xcel Energy – Will sign a contract with Apollo Solar and EM Energy Services. Will allow individual homeowners to “subscribe” to a certain amount of electrical power from the Andover Glen Solar Garden (at no cost).
• City of Aurora – Will need to review and approve project along with normal inspections during construction. The city of Aurora has given an initial enthusiastic endorsement of this project.

What are the benefits to the Andover Glen Homeowners?

This is an opportunity for homeowners to gain access to solar power without putting panels onto their houses. They will gain access to lower energy bills without any upfront costs. If you subscribe to the solar offset with Xcel, you should expect to see a 5% to 10% reduction on your bill.

What are the benefits to AGHA?

The HOA will receive revenue from Apollo Solar. This exact amount of revenue will be based on the total kilowatts produced. Apollo Solar will maintain the land under the panels and AGHA will not have to mow or water the grass under the panels.

How does this compare to roof-top solar?

With rooftop solar, individual homes get credit on their bill from the electricity generated by their specific home’s panels. As a community solar garden, the electricity generated is put into a “bank” and each homeowner can subscribe to a “block” of electricity from that bank to offset their own electricity costs at their home. The amount of electricity generated could supply enough so that 70% to 100% of the homes in Andover Glen could subscribe. The total electricity generated will depend on the level of solar panels that are installed. The vendor must have at least 10% of the homes subscribe (per Xcel Energy guidelines), but if they see that a high percentage of homes (50% or more) are likely going to subscribe, then they may be motivated to install a higher output level solar panel. Again, the cost to individual homeowners is $0 to subscribe, and you’ll simply see a credit on your electric bill each month. Based on this, so it’s hard to see why anyone in Andover Glen would not want to subscribe should the solar garden be approved.

Will the panels be an eyesore and will they cause glare?

20-30 years ago, glare was an issue with solar panels. Solar technology has come a long way since then and glare isn’t an issue any more.

How high off the ground will the panels be?

The panels will be 10 feet high with a 4 ft. clearance for a mower to get under. Also, these panels will be fixed in place. i.e. they will not rotate with the sun.

What are the effects on the flora and fauna?

Fences will be installed around the panels (except directly next to the creek) to keep out the critters.

What about vandalism?

Some fencing will deter vandalism, but in general, Apollo Solar has found that people do not tend to mess with the panels.

Do you have an idea on how much income the project could generate for the Andover Glen HOA?

The HOA Board and a hired legal counsel who specializes in solar leasing will be negotiating the specifics of a contract with Apollo Solar. The rental of the land is typically not the major financial piece, but the HOA will receive certain amount of compensation based on how much energy the solar garden actually generates. As the details of the contract become more solidified, exact figures will be released to members of the Association. Certainly a more concrete figure will be provided at the special January 20, 2026 meeting. Currently, the rough estimates are that the solar garden would generate several thousands of dollars per year in revenue for the Association, which would be used to offset expenses each year. This income could potentially keep annual dues lower for all homeowners. 

Is there an upfront cost or ongoing expense to the Association or homeowners for the solar garden?

No, except for the initial one-time legal costs of having a specialist provide legal counsel on the contract with the solar company, all installation and maintenance costs of the solar garden are paid for by Apollo Solar. The one-time legal costs are estimated to be approximately $1500.

What’s a realistic timeline for this project to be complete, assuming at least 67% of the homeowners approve? 

Even in a best-case scenario, the timeline for design, city of Aurora and Xcel permitting and construction time, means the project may not be complete and generating any power until mid-2026 at the very earliest. 

How long is the solar lease for and is that period negotiable?

The lease is typically for a period of 25-years, and the period matches the expected lifespan of the initially installed solar panels. This is an industry standard. The panels could be upgraded to new panels at the end of the lease and a new lease document signed, but there is no guarantee nor obligation on either party to do so.

What happens to the power generation of the solar garden over time?

The panels are expected to degrade about 0.005% per year. The degradation could affect the payments to the HOA, but that degradation could be offset by increasing energy costs, depending on how the lease contract is negotiated. 

Additional questions as yet to be answered in future discussions with Apollo Solar:

· What happens when the 25 year lease is up?

· Will Apollo/EM Energy remove the panels?

· Will the concrete pylons that the panels were mounted on be removed? To what extent?

· Will there be cables left underground?