Community Solar
Community solar is an alternative to installing solar on your own home or business. Participants can buy into a community solar project, and then receive the energy credits on their utility bill. Cowlitz PUD is considering offering a new community solar project, where residential and commercial customers could buy in to the project, and then receive an annual credit on their power bill for their share of energy from the project.
Survey Information
If you are interested in receiving more information about community solar, please complete this survey.
Community Solar is an alternative to purchasing a solar installation for your home or buildings. It provides access to solar energy if you don’t have a good site for solar installation (i.e. you rent your home or have too many trees), or if you would rather not have to shop for your own solar installation. The PUD will manage the operations and maintenance, and participants would receive an annual credit on their electric bill. Only Cowlitz PUD customers would be eligible to participate.
Later this fall, PUD staff will review the level of customer interest from the survey and community outreach. If the PUD decides to move forward with a project, we will announce information about project specifics at that time.
Cowlitz PUD installed a 59 kW community solar array on our main office in 2016. Click here to learn more.
Frequently Asked Questions
- When will the project happen?
- Right now, the PUD is assessing if there is sufficient interest to develop a project.
- Does buying into a community solar project qualify for the 30% federal tax credit?
- The IRS issued a ruling related to off-site community solar projects for a specific taxpayer allowing them to claim the Residential Clean Energy Credit for a share in a community solar project connected to a public utility district. However, this ruling is limited to the specific taxpayer it was issued for. Check with a tax professional before deciding to purchase solar. The PUD is happy to provide additional information to help you in this process but cannot issue tax advice.
- How much will it cost to buy in?
- The factors that determine the cost won’t be known for some time. There is no opportunity to purchase currently.
- How much will I save on my energy bill?
- This will depend on how many shares of the community solar project you purchase. Energy savings will be allocated proportionally to your ownership in the project.
- What if I move?
- If you move within the PUD’s service territory, your subscription will move with you.
- Will I make money off the project?
- No, credits will be applied to your PUD account.
- Why is the PUD considering this?
- Per Washington State Law, the PUD has several requirements related to clean energy, community support, and reducing energy burden. Community solar is one method of working towards those requirements.
- What if I already have solar on my home or building?
- You can still buy into the community solar project. The PUD would help you estimate the maximum number of community solar shares you could benefit from.
- Why would I buy into community solar instead of installing it myself?
- Community solar is often less expensive due to the efficiency of scale. Also, not all buildings are suitable for solar – if you have trees creating shade, or have an older building with structural issues, community solar is a way to get the benefits without installing on your own home. Also, renters can access community solar but are less likely to be able to install solar on their residence.
