If I’m on the waiting list, how will I know when units are available? We will contact you to make sure you are still interested. If you are interested, you will receive a welcome packet via email or mail based on preference (packet includes invoice and Participation Agreement). If purchaser is different from recipient, purchaser will receive the invoice and recipient will receive the Participation Agreement. Please fill out, sign and complete the Participation Agreement and return it to us within 30 days. Pay invoice(s) by check, cash or credit/debit card (up to $3,000). A 30% down payment will be due within 30 days and full payment due within 90 days of the welcome packet being sent. Payments must be assigned to the Community Solar account number that you receive in your welcome packet. If you are paying online, please use the one-time payment option on SnoPAY. When payment is complete, you (or your designated recipient) will receive confirmation. Solar credits will be posted to the recipient's monthly electric bill once the total invoice is paid in full and the participation agreement is completed. Washington production incentive checks will be mailed annually to recipients. We expect the first production incentive checks to be mailed by the end of 2020.

When will I start seeing credits on my bill? Customers begin acquiring solar credits when their unit purchase is paid off in full and they have submitted a completed Participation Agreement.

I expected to see my first Community Solar Bill credit applied to my September bill, but it wasn’t included. Why not? Participants who paid in full for their solar units, and submitted a completed participation agreement, will be eligible for the first bill credit reflecting generation from the Community Solar array from May 1, 2019 to Sept. 3, 2019. In most cases, this first credit will appear on the participant’s September PUD bill. However, if your electric meter was read early in the month before the solar credit was posted, the solar credit for this period will be applied to the bill that you receive in October.

I thought my solar credit was going to show up on each monthly bill, but it hasn’t. Why not? In most cases, eligible participants (those who have paid in full for their solar units) will see the bill credits applied to their bills each month for the duration of their participation in the program. However, because the date that the PUD reads the community solar production meter will not align with all individual participant electric meter read dates, from time to time, participants may see the credit delayed one month, and applied twice the next month.

Do you come and install the panels on my home? No. Community Solar programs make it easier for customers to benefit from solar energy by purchasing “units” that are installed at a community site. In this case, the site is in Arlington at the future home of our Arlington Microgrid.

Can I transfer the units? Yes, you may transfer your units to another PUD customer. Please see the form on the right sidebar of this page titled "Request to Transfer Solar Units to Successor Participant."

What if my electric account is closed (due to a move, death, divorce, etc.)? In the event you, or your representative, needs to terminate your electric account, we will allow 60 days for solar units to be transferred or sold to another PUD electric customer (see question above). If the units have not been transferred within 60 days, the units will revert back to the PUD. If you move within PUD’s service territory and continue to be an electric customer, the units will remain with you.

Can I go see the solar array? The solar array is located at 17601 59th Ave NE, Arlington, 98223, next to a Clean Energy Technology Center (to be built in 2020). The site is across from the Arlington Airport and can be seen from 59th Ave NE.

How much does it cost? The Community Solar program sells subscriptions in 76-watt units. 5 units equal 1 full panel. Each unit costs $120 (or $600 per panel).

Where does the money go? Money collected from solar energy unit sales offset the cost of construction and maintenance of the solar array.

Who can purchase or gift units in Snohomish County PUD’s Community Solar array? All Snohomish County PUD customers with an active electric account may participate, except for those currently participating in the PUD’s net metering program. Anyone can purchase units for someone else, as long as the recipient is a PUD customer. Non-residential customers (e.g. businesses, non-profit organizations, government agencies, etc.) may also purchase units. However, we are capping total non-residential participation to 20% of the overall project.

What financial credits and incentives do participants receive? Participants receive a fixed monthly credit of $0.06/kWh on their bill equal to their portion of the solar system’s production. This is the average forecasted value of local renewable energy for the next 20 years. In addition, customers will receive an annual incentive payment provided by Washington state. We anticipate this payment will be $0.16/kWh per year of energy produced for the first 8 years of the program, or when the PUD reaches 50% of the total solar system cost, whichever comes first.

How will I know how much energy is generated by the units I own? Data showing how much energy is generated by the community solar system is available at the top of this page, making it easy to see how much energy the number of units you purchase are generating.

Which is a better return on my investment, rooftop solar or community solar? If you are interested in putting solar panels on your home or business, we recommend getting bids from a few solar installers to weigh the costs and benefits of this option. The financial return on rooftop solar is highly dependent on solar installer costs, available state and federal incentives, and the site’s access to sunlight (i.e. free from shading). A list of solar installers is available by clicking here.

Who pays for ongoing maintenance and repairs? The $120 cost per solar unit is inclusive of estimated maintenance costs for the 20-year project period. Any additional maintenance or repair costs will be covered by the PUD. In the event of a cataclysmic event, the PUD is fully insured and holds equipment warranties from the manufacturers.

Why is the project period only 20 years? I thought solar panels lasted longer. Solar panels do usually last longer than 20 years. However, we anticipate that maintenance costs will begin to increase after 20 years. We decided to end the project at this point instead of including additional maintenance costs in the solar unit cost.

What happens at the end of the 20-year project period? At the end of the project period, contracts with participants, including the energy credit, will end and energy production will revert back to the PUD.

Is this Community Solar project eligible for the Federal Investment Tax Credit? We do not think participants in this project would be eligible for the Federal Investment Tax Credit, as participants will not own the physical asset. However, we encourage participants who are interested in this incentive to consult with a tax professional.

Where does the energy produced by the solar array go? The Community Solar array has a capacity of 500 kW. The energy produced by the solar array sends power directly to the grid and serves as a generating unit for energy storage and vehicle-to-grid systems incorporated in the microgrid in addition to buildings on site.

How will the solar array work with the new microgrid planned for the site? The Arlington Microgrid will include the solar array, battery storage units and a vehicle-to-grid system. In an emergency, the system will be able to be “islanded” and run independently from the electric grid, powering the future North County community office. The energy storage and vehicle-to-grid systems will demonstrate how renewable energy can pair with clean energy technologies.