Clean Energy Collective (CEC), the nation's leading community solar developer, announced its role as a founding member in the newly formed Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA), the first national trade organization for community solar.

This business-led organization will advocate on behalf of consumers, utilities, and developers with the mission to expand access to clean, local, affordable energy through community solar. Other founding members of the Coalition for Community Solar Access include Community Energy, EcoPlexus, Ethical Electric, First Solar, Inc., and Recurrent Energy.

"We took a lead role in crafting this coalition because community solar is poised to serve a large percentage of electricity customers throughout the country, and working together we can help accelerate this industry's growth and assure this potential is achieved," said Paul Spencer, Clean Energy Collective's founder and CEO.

CEC estimates the market size for community-owned solar at more than 150 million customers, which is seven times larger than the maximum market potential for onsite solar. The U.S. Department of Energy reports that shared solar could represent as much as 49% of the distributed PV market by 2020.

Introducing the first community-shared solar project in 2010, CEC now serves residential, commercial, and municipal electricity customers in 11 states, most recently establishing programs in new markets like New York, Texas, and Washington.

The CCSA's efforts educating policy makers, community leaders, clean energy advocates, and the public about fair policy, regulatory frameworks, and best practices will help advance access to shared solar programs to more markets across the country.

Hannah Masterjohn, CEC's Director of Policy and New Markets, will serve as CCSA's board chair. "This group represents the country's best expertise on community solar, so I'm very enthusiastic about its role working with policymakers, advocates, and the power industry to identify and execute on good solutions for homeowners, renters, and businesses," said Masterjohn.