Enterprise Energy, a Minnesota developer, held a ribbon cutting for the Owatonna Community Solar Garden on October 1, 2026. KTTC reported that the event marked installation and the start of operations. The garden is one of four Enterprise Energy is building in Minnesota, with the others in Sartell (two of them) and Kasota.
What’s new
- The Owatonna garden is operating, per KTTC’s report on the October 1 ribbon cutting.
- Xcel Energy customers can subscribe and get 15% off their monthly electric bill if they are low- or moderate-income, or 8% otherwise (MnCIFA).
- Renters, condo and townhome owners, schools, faith communities and nonprofits are all eligible.
What stays the same or isn’t confirmed
- The sources we opened do not state the garden’s size in megawatts, its panel count, or its subscriber count.
- The 8% to 15% range applies across Enterprise Energy’s four gardens, per MnCIFA. These are program terms, not measured results.
- KAAL reported the panels could lower bills for about 2,000 homes. That is a project estimate.
Who can join and what it saves
The Minnesota Climate Innovation Finance Authority (MnCIFA) lists eligible subscribers as homeowners and renters in single-family homes, condos, townhomes, and apartments. Subscribers must live in Xcel Energy’s service territory. Savings depend on income: 15% for low- and moderate-income subscribers, 8% for higher-income ones. At least 55% of subscriptions are reserved for low- and moderate-income households, per MnCIFA and KTTC.
| Subscriber type | Reported bill saving | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Low- and moderate-income | 15% | MnCIFA |
| Higher-income | 8% | MnCIFA |
In dollars, KTTC reported estimates of $8 to $20 a month per household, as stated by Enterprise Energy CEO Eric Pasi in May. KAAL reported $13 to $20 a month for low- and moderate-income households, based on the average Minnesota residential bill. MnCIFA estimates $4.25 million in total subscriber savings over 25 years across all four gardens on its project page, while its news page says $4.5 million. The two MnCIFA pages differ.
The site and the money behind it
The garden sits near Owatonna Degner Regional Airport, about one mile west of the Owatonna hospital. Construction began with a groundbreaking on May 11, 2026, and the site is planted with a pollinator-friendly seed mix developed by Minnesota state agencies.
The gardens fall under the Melissa Hortman Community Solar Program, the name given this year to Minnesota’s community solar program. KTTC says it honors the former House Speaker, who was assassinated in June 2025. MnCIFA says the program was established in state law in 2013. MnCIFA provided a $5 million, two-year loan for the Owatonna garden’s financing, alongside Minnwest Bank and Sunrise Banks.
Why It Matters to You
- If you rent or can’t put panels on your roof, a garden like this lets you get solar savings on your Xcel Energy bill anyway.
- Low- and moderate-income households get the bigger discount (15%) and have at least 55% of subscriptions set aside.
- The garden is operating now, per KTTC. Ask Enterprise Energy for contract terms and a sample bill before you sign.
Quick answers
Do I need to own a home? No. MnCIFA says renters and homeowners can subscribe, as can schools, faith communities, and nonprofits.
Do I need to be an Xcel Energy customer? Yes. MnCIFA says subscribers must live in Xcel Energy’s service territory.
How big is the saving? MnCIFA lists 15% for low- and moderate-income subscribers and 8% for others. Ask Enterprise Energy for the contract terms and a sample bill.
Is the garden operating? KTTC reported that the October 1 ribbon cutting marked installation and start of operations.
Sources
- KTTC: Ribbon cutting set for Owatonna community solar garden (Sep 30, 2026)
- KTTC: Community solar garden breaks ground in Owatonna to lower electric bills (May 11, 2026)
- MnCIFA: Community solar to reduce energy costs (May 13, 2026)
- MnCIFA: Owatonna Community Solar Garden (accessed Oct 13, 2026)
- KAAL (via Solar Now): Owatonna solar garden part of larger effort to provide affordable energy (Oct 2, 2026)