Resolution 1029 – Support Expanding Access to Community Solar in Washington State

WHEREAS Washington has a statutory requirement to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from Washington electricity generation to zero by 2045 (1) and expansion of solar energy production is one means of achieving this goal; and the Washington State Democratic party Platform states the goals of providing equitable rate structures and establishment of standard interconnection rules, uniform procedures and technical requirements for connecting renewable energy systems to the electric utility’s grid (2); and

WHEREAS Washingtonians who live in multifamily residences are renters, or may lack financing to install solar panels on their homes, or live in a home that is not optimally sited for solar energy collectors, do not have equitable access to solar energy and its benefits; and 

WHEREAS community solar projects or programs are a way to enable Washingtonians who would otherwise be excluded from accessing solar energy to have cost-effective access to the benefits of solar energy including utility bill savings; and 

WHEREAS community solar projects provide homeowners, renters, and businesses equal access to the economic and environmental benefits of solar energy generation regardless of the physical attributes or ownership of their home or business; and

WHEREAS Washington state lacks uniform standards for the development of community solar projects and the electricity they produce, while other states that have implemented these standards are experiencing community solar project growth in both deployment and scalability, now is the time for Washington to obtain support through President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act’s programs (3),(4);

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Washington State Democratic Central Committee (WSDCC) supports legislation which instructs the Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) to write rules to enable community solar projects and programs in Washington state and that these rules incentivize greater participation of low income homeowners including those residing in solar constrained locations, renters, and businesses; and

THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the WSDCC requests Washington state legislature support legislation which enables Community Solar programs that include equitable rate structures for low-income Washington homeowners, renters, and businesses; and

THEREFORE BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution shall be forwarded to the Governor of the State of Washington, all Washington State House and Senate Democrats; Chairs of the House Environment and Energy and House Housing Committees, and Chairs of the Senate Environment Energy and Technology and Senate Housing Committee.

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References

1.  Clean Energy Transformation Act  https://www.commerce.wa.gov/growing-the-economy/energy/ceta/
2. Washington State Democratic Party platform section Energy, Environment and the Climate Crisis Line 827.  https://www.wa-democrats.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/2022-Washington-State-Democrats-Platform-Passed-6-25-2022.pdf
3. EPA – Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF) program, created by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. 2023 Feb 14, https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-initial-program-design-greenhouse-gas-reduction-fund
4. Inflation Reduction Act – Whitehouse.gov “The Inflation Reduction Act Delivers Affordable Clean Energy for Washington” “https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Washington.pdf