Yakima County Solar Projects
Yakima County serves more than 260,000 residents across 4,300 square miles in the heart of Central Washington. As Washington State’s eighth largest county and home to Yakama Nation, Yakima County demonstrates the benefits of renewable energy. The solar-powered county buildings now come at a lower cost, thanks to their energy generation. Funds previously spent on utilities can now be used for public benefit as Yakima County works toward a sustainable future.
The project includes 2,626 solar panels across nine county buildings, funded entirely by a Department of Commerce grant. Ellensburg Solar designed and installed the cumulative 1,386 kW systems. These projects are already reducing the County’s energy bill and building local independence from rising electric costs in the region.
The solar project will reduce the County’s annual energy burden by $131,000 within the first year. This will save Yakima County over $5.9 million on power costs across the next 30 years, dollars which can be reinvested in community services and projects. The installation is projected to produce 1,762 mWhs per year of clean, renewable electricity. According to the Environmental Protection Agency’s greenhouse gas equivalencies, it will offset 1,407 tons of CO2 emissions annually. That is equivalent to the amount of carbon captured by 1,281 acres of U.S. forest land every year, or 364 homes’ electricity use for one year.
Olympia Community Solar supported Yakima County by secured six grants from the Washington Department of Commerce to cover installation costs, assisting with their request for proposal process and helping to select Ellensburg Solar as a trusted installer, and managing the grant awards through construction.
On July 21st, 2026, Yakima County held a ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the completion of the solar project. It included words of acknowledgement from key project partners: Yakima County Commissioner Kyle Curtis, Colby Peone from Ellensburg Solar, and Mason Rolph, Executive Director of Olympia Community Solar.
The project was funded from a grant from the WA Department of Commerce Clean Energy Community Grants program, which is supported with funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act. The CCA supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Information about the CCA is available at www.climate.wa.gov.
“This project demonstrates how clean energy investments can deliver meaningful benefits to taxpayers. Solar energy makes the most sense when it is installed on existing developed sites such as public buildings, warehouses, and homes. By utilizing county facilities, this project reduces operating costs without impacting productive agricultural land. Thanks to this investment from the Washington State Department of Commerce, Yakima County will save millions of dollars over the coming decades and reinvest those resources into services that benefit our residents” said Yakima County Commissioner Kyle Curtis.
About Yakima County: Yakima County serves more than 260,000 residents across 4,300 square miles in the heart of Central Washington. As one of Washington State’s leading agricultural regions, Yakima County is committed to delivering efficient public services, fostering economic opportunity, protecting natural resources, and enhancing the quality of life for residents, businesses, and visitors.
About Ellensburg Solar: At Ellensburg Solar, we make solar simple. Founded in 2011, Ellensburg Solar has spent more than a decade providing affordable, sustainable, and reliable energy solutions to our customers. As the largest solar installation contractor in the state, it is our goal to lead Washington’s transition to clean energy, one rooftop at a time, while never losing the personal touch that built our reputation. Learn more at www.ellensburgsolar.com.
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