Attend an Event
Northwest SEED provides educational events to community members to support renewable energy project development.
Community Solar
Solarize Washington
Our Solarize participants have installed solar panels on over 900 rooftops across Washington since we launched the program in 2011. As a result of our projects, communities are generating 6,145 Megawatt-hours of renewable energy per year! This innovative group purchase program is proving that communities can come together to create resiliency and support the local solar economy through clean energy installations. Learn more about this program here.
Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) for All
While the cost of solar electricity has fallen nearly 50% in the past five years, the high up-front cost means solar energy is still out of reach for many families and businesses. Northwest SEED launched “Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) for All” to research, design and implement a model for affordable solar energy. We’re working with Seattle housing providers, lending partners, Seattle City Light, and local foundations to slice through the complexities of affordable housing finance and suggest options.
Northwest Solar Communities
In partnership with the WA Department of Commerce State Energy Office, Northwest SEED and partners are working to increase access to solar across the Pacific Northwest. Under a grant from the US DOE SunShot Rooftop Solar Challenge, Northwest Solar Communities will seek to simplify and standardize the installation of solar electric systems by addressing four action areas: Permitting, Interconnection, Financing, and Planning. Work groups are developing tools and templates that can be easily adopted by communities to make solar easier and more cost effective for those they serve. This effort builds on the 2012 Evergreen State Solar Partnership.
Seattle City Light Community Solar
With help from Northwest SEED, Seattle City Light secured several grants from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop a customer-supported community solar installation. Together, we designed and deployed an award-winning Community Solar program. The first installation, three solar picnic shelters at Seattle’s Jefferson Park, enrolled over 450 residents, demonstrating Seattle’s strong support for harvesting the sun. The second installation on the roof of the Seattle Aquarium, was even more popular so City Light continued to expand the program with installations at the Zoo, the Phinney Neighborhood Association, and Capitol Hill Housing’s Holiday Apartments. You can learn more about Seattle City Light’s Community Solar program here. See real time production data here. Learn more about Northwest SEED’s role in the Community Solar program here.
SolarWISE Workshops
Northwest SEED partnered with Seattle City Light to provide free solar education workshops modeled on the popular Solarize workshops. Customers learned how solar works, which sites are most suitable, how to select an installer, and how to finance a solar project. The 2015 SolarWISE workshop series has ended, but please sign up for our newsletter and check our website for updates on the next series.
