Trees provide numerous benefits to the environment and to our households, but their location may be less than desirable. For example, expanding a home’s footprint may necessitate a tree’s removal. And lately, a new challenge is emerging: How to coordinate solar energy with tree preservation.

The appeal of solar power is compelling: Reduce your energy bill while going carbon neutral. Installing solar panels on your roof also makes a statement to the community about environmental priorities.

Yet removing trees in order to install residential solar power may be counterproductive to environmental benefits provided. Removal of trees usually means reduction of stormwater management, lost carbon sequestration, and, yes, higher energy consumption. Exterior walls exposed to the sun can be up to 20 degrees hotter than those in the shade. So while residential solar power may reduce energy consumption, removing trees to do so will likely increase your overall consumption.

If you’re wondering what the economic value of your trees are, try the tree benefits tool at https://mytree.itreetools.org/. It allows you to list one or more of your trees and calculates their economic value to you over 20 years. If you’re investigating the economic value of residential solar, calculating your tree benefits is important companion information.

But your trees needn’t mean you can’t pursue solar power. It may be possible to install residential solar panels without removing trees. As you explore your solar options with a broker, ask questions about keeping your trees. It may be possible to minimize or avoid tree removal and still benefit from solar panels on your roof.

If it isn’t, then consider community solar. Community solar allows you to buy into a solar project located nearby and then receive a discount on your electric bill. The cost of participating is usually a cost per kilowatt hour, and the discount is usually a higher discount per kilowatt hour; so community solar typically results in a net discount on your bill. For example, one local community solar project charges $0.1197 per kwh and credits $0.1330, for a net energy savings of $0.0133 per kwh.

Further information on community solar in Maryland is at https://opc.maryland.gov/Consumer-Learning/Renewable-Energy/Community-Solar. Sites such as energysage.com and forefrontpower.com are examples of community solar brokers.

Savings from community solar won’t be nearly as much as from rooftop solar. But if rooftop solar would require removal of trees, community solar could be a worthwhile option.