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COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. -- More solar power is coming to Southern Colorado. SunShare is just weeks away from turning on the power to its second community solar garden location.

The new garden is at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Widefield and will feature 2,500 solar panels.

SunShare already has a sold out community solar garden at Venetucci Farms.

They said the idea of community solar power is taking off both locally and nationally.

"Colorado Springs Utilities was the first municipal utility in the country to create a community solar garden program with the Venetucci Solar Garden being the first," David Amster-Olszewski, President of SunShare, said.

Amster-Olszewski said there are now 14 states with community solar gardens.

"So what started here in Colorado Springs is starting to open up to different communities around the country and it's really turning into a popular way for people to go solar, without the panels on their roof and without the long term maintenance of taking care of those panels," he said.

Customers of CSU can lease the panels and receive energy credits on their utility bill.

In exchange for use of the land Good Shepherd United Methodist Church will receive energy credits for the next 50 years.

"As we generate electricity those credits will be going to the church and the church over 50 years will be getting a million dollars in energy savings to their electric bill," Amster-Olszewski said.

"We're excited about getting this online around the first of October and reducing our electric bills to probably nothing," Loy Jones, a member of the church, said.

But the savings is open to anyone who wants to "go green."

"Anybody that likes to invest or save money or make money, this is an excellent way to do that," Jones said.

"Typically when you get a rooftop system you have to look at 20 to 30 panels and it may cost $20,000 to $30,000 but with community solar we're building this large project so we can bring down the cost and people can just sign up for two panels, three panels, four panels, and get started on solar energy," Amster-Olszewski said.

Each panel costs a one time fee of $550 for a 20 year lease and a minimum of two panels must be purchased. Amster-Olszewski said those interested should buy soon.

"We're almost sold out now. We'll probably be sold out, my guess is by the end of the month or early next month," Amster-Olszewski said.

Of the 2,500 panels at the new location Amster-Olszewski said around 2,200 have already been sold.