Solar Savings Analysis The Colony, TX

Electricity Market Structure in The Colony

The Colony is served by Oncor Electric Delivery for transmission and distribution and participates in the ERCOT deregulated retail electricity market. Located in Denton County along the southern shore of Lewisville Lake, The Colony is a planned community that has grown into a fully incorporated city within the north DFW suburban ring.

The Colony falls within the ERCOT North Load Zone. The city's position on the southern shore of Lewisville Lake, and its planned community development character, produces a residential-dominant load profile with limited heavy commercial activity. The Colony's proximity to the Grandscape entertainment and retail complex on the city's western edge represents the most significant non-residential load concentration in the distribution network.

For additional context on Oncor Electric Delivery's role as the transmission and distribution operator in this market, see the Oncor Electric Delivery service territory analysis.

Solar Irradiation Context — The Colony

The Colony, Texas receives an estimated annual average solar irradiation in the range of 4.8 to 5.2 kWh per square meter per day, based on NREL National Solar Radiation Database reference data for the North Texas geographic zone. This translates to approximately 5.0 peak sun hours per day on an annualized basis, representing a moderately high solar resource consistent with the broader Texas solar production environment.

City-level irradiation data is applied in SunScore™ modeling as a primary energy yield input. No ZIP code-level or address-level irradiation claims are made on this page. Actual solar output at any specific property will vary based on roof pitch, azimuth, shading obstructions, and system configuration.

Utility Territory & Delivery Structure — The Colony

Oncor Electric Delivery serves The Colony as the regulated transmission and distribution operator under PUCT oversight. Oncor does not set retail electricity prices in the deregulated Texas market. Retail rates are established by competing retail electricity providers (REPs). The delivery charge component of a retail electricity bill — covering Oncor's transmission and distribution infrastructure — is regulated separately from the energy supply charge. SunScore™ projection modeling addresses the energy supply component of the retail bill only.

Retail Electricity Baseline — The Colony (EIA 2024 Reference Year)

Residential electricity rate modeling for The Colony uses EIA Form 861 data for the 2024 reference year within the Oncor delivery territory in Denton County. The deregulated retail electricity market serving The Colony reflects North Texas competitive pricing dynamics, with retail rates varying by provider and contract structure.

All rate references on this page derive from publicly available EIA Form 861 data for the 2024 reference year and represent historical average figures. They are not real-time rates, guaranteed future rates, or provider-specific quotes. Actual retail electricity prices in The Colony vary by retail electricity provider, contract type, and enrollment date. Consumers seeking current rate information may consult the Power to Choose portal maintained by the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

Avoided Cost & Export Compensation Context — The Colony

Avoided cost for The Colony is modeled using the ERCOT North Hub wholesale-proxy baseline, consistent with all Oncor-territory North Texas cities. Solar self-consumption in The Colony avoids the applicable residential retail rate, while grid export is valued at wholesale-proxy levels substantially below retail. SunScore™ projection modeling weights self-consumption as the primary economic variable for this market.

In the ERCOT market, solar energy consumed on-site avoids the retail rate, while energy exported to the grid is compensated at or near wholesale-proxy levels — a materially lower value. SunScore™ projections distinguish between self-consumption and export scenarios. A detailed explanation of the avoided cost framework is available at Avoided Cost Explained.

Federal Incentive Layer — The Colony (ITC 30% Reference)

The federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC), currently structured at 30% of eligible system cost under the Inflation Reduction Act as of the 2024 reference year, is available to qualifying homeowners in The Colony who install eligible solar photovoltaic systems. This credit is non-refundable — it reduces federal income tax liability but does not generate a direct cash payment if the credit exceeds tax liability in the installation year. Unused credit may carry forward to subsequent tax years subject to applicable IRS rules.

The federal ITC is incorporated as an incentive layer input in SunScore™ modeled scenarios. GetSunScore does not provide tax advice. Homeowners should consult a qualified tax professional to assess eligibility.

The Colony homeowners in Denton County are eligible for the Texas property tax exemption on qualifying solar installations and the federal ITC at 30%. Texas does not mandate retail net metering. Solar export compensation is governed by individual retail provider contract terms. DSIRE's 2024 reference year records document the applicable Texas incentive framework.

Modeled Projection Context — The Colony

The Colony's origin as a planned community — developed from the late 1970s through the 1990s — produces a housing stock that is more uniform in character than organically grown cities, with subdivision layouts and lot configurations that were designed as part of a master development framework. This planned character generally means consistent roof orientations within subdivisions, which can simplify city-level solar siting analysis relative to cities with more irregular organic growth patterns.

Lewisville Lake's southern shoreline proximity introduces the same mild lakeside microclimate consideration applicable to other DFW lakefront cities: localized humidity and atmospheric variability at lakeshore properties are noted as property-level caveats in SunScore™ assumptions documentation, rather than incorporated as discrete city-level projection inputs.

All SunScore™ projections are non-binding modeled scenarios. They do not constitute financial advice, a solar installation quote, or a guaranteed savings figure. Full methodology documentation is available at Methodology, Data Sources, and Assumptions.

Solar Installation Pathway in The Colony

Homeowners in The Colony who have reviewed GetSunScore's modeled solar savings projection and wish to proceed with installation evaluation may do so through the standard residential solar qualification and contractor evaluation process.

Homeowners evaluating solar installation in The Colony typically proceed through structured qualification and installer evaluation stages, beginning with a property assessment to confirm roof suitability, structural capacity, shading conditions, and utility interconnection eligibility under Oncor Electric Delivery's interconnection standards.

GetSunScore does not install solar systems, endorse specific solar contractors, or recommend providers. Qualified homeowners seeking installation evaluation may consult the installer directory referenced in GetSunScore's partner network documentation.