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SUNSHOT INITIATIVE: EVERGREEN STATE SOLAR PARTNERSHIP
Project Objectives
The 3 year project objectives of the Evergreen State Solar Partnership project are to:
- Achieve efficiencies and lower balance of system costs for installing rooftop PV by standardizing the permitting process in jurisdictions serving 60% of Washington State population in three years.
- Improve market conditions by creating business certainty for solar PV deployment across multiple jurisdictions to spur a doubling of solar installations across the state in three years.
- Obtain regulatory clarification that clearly allows 3rd Party PPAs to facilitate residential, commercial, and community-scale installations.
The completion of the Evergreen State Solar Partnership Project will result in a streamlined rooftop solar market across the State of Washington that will benefit rooftop owners, solar installers, local government, utilities, and the environment.
First Year Goals
In year 1, the team of four jurisdictions (Bellevue, Seattle, Ellensburg, Edmonds) and their load serving utilities aim to make measurable progress in the four target areas of permitting and interconnection processes, net metering and interconnection standards, financing options and planning and zoning, creating best practices and models that can be replicated across the state. During Phase 1 the core team will:
- Create proposals to streamline the permitting and interconnection process and improve net metering and interconnection standards
- Implement these refined processes and standards in the 4 jurisdictions
- Research and develop financing options that enable direct financing, community solar programs, and 3rd party ownership.
- Recommend improvements to building codes and zoning
Project Team
The project team for Phase 1 is represented by jurisdictions, utilities, and industry partners and contains a breadth and depth of experience that will allow the team’s findings to provide trusted and appropriate information for the entire State of Washington and beyond.
- Team lead: WA Department of Commerce State Energy Office
- Jurisdictions: City of Seattle, City of Bellevue, City of Edmonds, City of Ellensburg
- Utilities: Seattle City Light, Puget Sound Energy, Snohomish Public Utility District, Ellensburg Electric Services Utility
- Industry & Non-Profits: Northwest SEED, Solar WA, Thurston Energy, Sustainable Connections
A broader group of industry stakeholders and jurisdictions statewide will be invited to review and offer input on the process to ensure awareness and buy-in for Phase 2. Also in Phase 2, the State Energy Office and core jurisdictions will support statewide efforts to adopt the best practices, through workshops, peer to peer exchanges, and technical support.
Related Materials
Project Central – Login for Team Members
For more information contact: linda (at) nwseed.org
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