Washington’s legislature last week passed a bill to provide low-income residents access to solar energy through community-based projects.
The Senate approved an amended House Bill 1814 by a 29-20 margin on Thursday, followed passage by the House on a 57-41 vote.
The bill by Rep. Sharon Shewmake (D) will establish a new community solar incentive program through Washington State University’s Extension Energy Program to provide benefits for low-income residents, low-income service provider subscribers and tribal and public agency subscribers.
The program will provide grants to community solar project administrators, which can include utilities, nonprofits, tribal housing authorities and other local authorities.
A grant under the program would be limited to 100% of the installed costs of a project, in addition to associated start-up administrative costs, capped at $20,000 per project. Eligible projects must be between 12 and 199 kW in nameplate capacity and have at least two low-income subscribers or one low-income service provider.
The projects may also include energy storage.
The bill allocates $300,000 for the program in fiscal 2023, increasing the allocation to $25 million for each of the four subsequent budget biennia. At least $2 million of the money is to be directed to tribal programs.
Grant applicants would have two years to complete the project.
Republicans opposed the bill because it is expensive and does not help combat climate change, Sen. Lynda Wilson (R) said.
Sen. Reuven Carlyle (D) argued that the bill would make solar energy more viable for low-income people, who normally cannot afford to the energy source.
