Washington needs solar policies that serve
renters.
multifamily housing.
shaded homes.
low-income.
communities.
Despite the advantages of solar energy, a vast majority of Washingtonians lack access to it.
Why is our effort important?
Washington’s 3.2 million renters, 700 thousand low-income residents, as well as those in multifamily, shaded or old homes are unable to access rooftop solar.
The Washington legislature has committed to a goal of 100% renewable energy by 2035 with the Clean Energy Transformation Act. Only providing solar to homeowners with sunny, unobstructed, new roofs and the financial resources to purchase rooftop solar is inconsistent with this goal.
Approximately one out of five households in Washington spend over 10% of their income on energy-related expenses. Furthermore, data reveals that low-income households in the state spend, on average, three to four times more of their income on energy costs compared to higher- income households. This disparity places a significant strain on the financial stability and well-being of vulnerable populations.
What is Community Solar?
Community solar means you don’t have to own land or a big rooftop to get the benefits of solar energy. Just like a Netflix subscription, customers can sign up to use locally generated solar energy from their community.
While Washington state was home to the nation’s first community solar project, it ranks 31st in community solar power generation. Allowing community solar to serve more customers will help Washington achieve its clean energy goals more quickly, affordably, and equitably.
of Americans face barriers to rooftop solar energy.
40
%
Our Policy Proposal
The policy establishes a community solar program aimed at increasing access to solar energy for all Washingtonians. Under the new program community solar projects will be developed and directly connected to electric utility distribution systems around the state.
Subscribers to community solar projects will receive a community solar bill credit that represents the value of their subscription’s energy generation. The monthly bill credit can offset the costs of the subscriber’s electric bill, and any unused bill credits can be carried forward month-to-month and allocated to the subscriber’s bill.
To encourage low-income participation, a significant portion of the program must be subscribed by low- income customers and low-income service providers. This ensures that solar energy benefits are accessible to disadvantaged communities.
Coalition Organized By
Olympia Community Solar is a non-profit organization with a mission to steward an equitable and accessible transition to clean energy.
Partners & Supporters
YOU CAN HELP!
There are opportunities to support the effort! We need supporters to send messages to the state legislators, sign in support during committee meetings, and help engage your friends and neighbors!
What does the future look like?
Once the proposed legislation passes, there will be a 1-2 year period of rulemaking while the state agencies develop the program. Once the program launches Community Solar Providers will register to do business and start developing projects (our proposal incentivizes projects on rooftops, brownfields and that include battery storage).
Customers will have the opportunity to subscribe to projects: paying an upfront or ongoing subscription fee and receiving a corresponding solar energy credit on their electric bill. This enables households, businesses, schools, and other institutions to access clean energy benefits and save an average of 10%-15% on their utility bills by subscribing to local projects, without needing rooftop panels.
The University of Washington forecasts the economic potential of community solar installations in Washington. The study authors analyzed the economic impact of developing 500 megawatts (MW) of community solar projects over 10 years. They found this level of development would:
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Generate $1.76 billion in contributions to Washington’s Gross State Product
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Create 16,521 job-years of employment, equivalent to 1,652 full-time jobs annually
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Produce $76.49 million in state tax revenue
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Provide $4.66 million in lease payments to participating landowners
“A big challenge in the clean energy transition is balancing decarbonization with affordability,” said Charlee Thompson of the NW Energy Coalition, “As we electrify buildings and transportation, this will become even more critical. Community solar and other distributed energy resources can help by expanding access to clean energy, lowering bills, and ensuring all communities benefit.”
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