Community Solar Project – Open Enrollment

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Aug 10, 2022

Puget Sound Solar is excited about partnering with Olympia Community Solar and it’s newest project at Olympia School District’s Thurgood Marshall Middle School.

Community Solar Projects, (CSP) are a unique and fantastic way for people to get involved with renewable energy. We frequently talk with people who cannot install solar where they reside because they rent, live in condominiums, have a roof unsuitable for solar (e.g., shade or structural issues) or face financial constraints. CSP’s help solve these issues by giving people the ability to go solar by buying more affordable “solar units” in group owned systems, hosted at a site where solar is viable.

We’ve designed and installed several CSP’s over the past 22+years including Mason County’s first shared solar project, one on Tacoma Public Utilities main warehouse and for Seattle City Light, on Phinney Ridge’s Neighborhood Association building and at Woodland Park Zoo. We’re excited about the visibility of our newest project which will showcase solar to students, faculty and parents at Thurgood Marshall Middle School in Olympia, Washington.

For this CSP, we’re going to be installing 306 Made in Washington, Silfab Solar 490 watt solar panels and pairing them with SolarEdge’s Three Phase Inverter. The system will be 149.94kW (kilowatts) and live public monitoring will be available upon completion of the project. If the project sells out all of it’s initial “solar units”, there’s is plenty of rooftop space to expand the system up to ~300kW.

A Solar Unit represents a portion of a community solar project’s capacity. Thurgood Marshall project Solar Units represents 245 Watts, or one half a solar panel. 

Each Solar Unit will generate about $23 dollars of electricity per year. Participants will receive an annual payment until their contribution is returned with interest  before the project is donated to the Olympia School District. If you’re interested in participating, enrollment is open and you can sign up for solar units on Olympia Community Solar’s webpage.

One of the really cool aspects of this project is the ability to donate your “solar shares” to a participating non-profit. Your donation is tax-deductible and the non-profit you choose will receive an annual payment for the donated portion of the project. 

Nonprofit Partners: Thurston County Food BankSalmon DefenseCapitol Land TrustGarden Raised Bounty (GRUB), Dispute Resolution CenterThurston Climate Action Team, and Olympia Community Solar.

Projects like this are complicated but important as they give people who want to go solar an opportunity to do so even if they cannot go solar at their residence. It’s a win-win scenario. The school saves money on electricity and the owners of the “solar units” get reimbursed over time for their participation. An added bonus is being able to select a non-profit to benefit from your “solar units.”

When you’re ready to find out if your roof is suitable for solar, please give us a call at 206-706-1931 or fill out our web form and tell us a little about the goals of your project. We’ll give you a free customized, no pressure quote so you can decide if solar right for you.

You Make The Difference. We’re here to help.

About The Author - Stu Frothingham

Stu has a degree in Clean Energy Technology, a Certificate in Sustainable Business Management and a BA in Communications. He’s experienced in marketing solar products and services plus he has a background as a clinician and researcher. Stu designed, manufactured and installed his own solar PV system and drives an all-electric Nissan LEAF to reduce his carbon footprint. Stu is active with local solar organizations, Seattle Parks and Sustainable Ballard. He wants to help to save the planet for future generations and believes sustainability is something we can all embrace.

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