Submitted by Puget Sound Energy
As the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted families throughout Washington, local organizations that have been helping them will receive support from Puget Sound Energy. PSE will grant nearly $580,000 to 10 organizations throughout its service area for new solar installations which will total 235 kW of new installed solar enough to power/or save nearly 240,000 kWh. This will help local organizations by reducing its operating costs while also helping the environment by producing green power.
The ten recipients are:
- Anacortes Housing Authority
- Community Youth Services
- Family Support Center
- Homes First
- King County Housing Authority
- Kulshan Land Trust
- Lummi Nation Housing Authority
- Muckleshoot Housing Authority
- Lydia Place
- Opportunity Council
“We are in an unprecedented time where agencies dedicated to serving our communities and customers are more critical than ever,” said PSE Director of New Product Development Will Einstein. “If we can help these agencies add solar energy to their facilities, we can support their core mission by helping to reduce their costs and provide those savings to the families they serve with renewable energy.”
King County Housing Authority received $75,000 for a 35 kilowatt system which is expected to generate 35,000 kwhs, about 25 percent of its annual electric usage, and save the organization about $3,000 in electric bills each year.
“Our partnership with Puget Sound Energy solves several challenges at once: the installation of solar panels supports the expansion of cleaner energy and a healthier environment while helping to keep the housing affordable by lowering the operating costs at the property,” said King County Housing Authority Resource Conservation Manager Jenna Smith. “It’s also helping make the push to a clean energy future more inclusive.”
In Thurston County, Homes First will generate roughly 25,000 kwhs a year, which is almost 70 percent of its annual electric load and more than $2,200 in electric savings each year.
“It has been a dream of mine since joining Homes First to solar power some of our homes,” said Homes First CEO Trudy Soucoup. “Being able to provide our community with homes that are safe, healthy, and affordable for our lowest of income neighbors while also reducing energy costs and reducing our environmental footprint makes the work we do even more impactful.”
She added, “I believe it is often thought that affordable rental homes that are energy efficient and environmentally friendly can’t be accessible to the lowest-of-income members of our community. Providing this opportunity really makes our tenants a part of a community they thought unreachable, rather than apart from their community.”
Applications for the next round of grant funding for 2020-2021 is currently open through Sept. 4, 2020. To learn more about how to apply, please visit: pse.com/greenpowergrant.
PSE continues its commitment to reducing its carbon footprint and helping our customers do the same. Enabling our community partners to install solar projects is just another way we are committing to a better energy future. For more on PSE’s commitment, visit pse.com/together.
