Renewable Energy

  1. Customer Owned Solar Systems
  2. Renewable Energy Rates
  3. Renewable Energy Park

For Specifications or to APPLY NOW 

View the Residential Solar PV Building Permit Application

Net Metering of electricity measures electricity flowing both directions at a location with solar panels. The customer still pays the appropriate customer charge for the billing period. Generation up to consumption for the billing period is credited at the retail rate (same rate as charged). For example, if generation is greater than the locations energy consumption only the customer charge will be billed. If consumption is greater than generation the 'net difference' will be billed. Excess energy produced by the solar system will be 'banked' by the utility for use in a future billing period. On April 30th of each calendar year, any remaining unused kilowatt-hour credit accumulated during the previous year shall be purchased by the electric utility at the average wholesale cost of power. Read about the Net Metering Interconnection Standards

Federal tax incentives to install renewable energy systems may be available; check with your tax advisor. Here is an informative fact sheet regarding the Washington State Renewable Energy System Cost Recovery Credit, and a weblink to the Washington State Renewable Energy System Incentive portal. The Washington State program applies to the amount of renewable energy produced by the customer owned system. The State Renewable Energy Incentives website also has information about customer-owned solar systems.

Ellensburg gets a large amount of its energy from renewable sources, mostly hydroelectricity. Ellensburg is a power generator, too, with the Renewable Energy Park located at the western edge of Rotary Park. Since the expansion (Phase 3) was energized in April 2017 total generation for Phases 1, 2 & 3 totaling 304 kW at the Renewable Energy Park in 2017 was 231,497 kWh with a wholesale value of $9,385. In 2016 the overall average consumption of all residential customers was 8,844 kWh per year. That includes residences with natural gas as their primary or partial space and or water heating source. 231,497 / 8,844 = about 26 residences and 0.11% of our BPA purchases for that period.

For those who want to support renewable energy on a sustaining basis, Ellensburg offers a voluntary renewable energy rate.

City Applying For Funding

The City of Ellensburg is applying for community project funding to fund several additional projects related to renewable energy generation. A detailed description of projects proposed in the application is available here.