Previous Program Updates
System Additions (2-24-20)
The WSU Energy Program has received questions about adding solar PV capacity to an existing certified system.
The following examples will apply:
- Adding capacity outside of the existing certified renewable energy system’s production meter. The existing system’s incentive rate and program term are preserved.
- Adding capacity through the existing certified renewable energy system’s production meter will result in delays in annual incentive review and payment. The existing incentive rate and program term may be affected (if the system’s capacity exceeds 12kW, a Commercial-scale rate will apply).
Update: New RESIP Applications in PSE Service Territory (12-2-19)
Puget Sound Energy has submitted a letter to the WSU Energy Program announcing its intention to terminate its voluntary participation in the RESIP program. By law, the termination of participation is effective 12:01 a.m., December 12, 2019.
PSE's termination of participation does not affect its obligation to make annual incentive payments to:
- All certified participants in the RESIP and RECRIP programs.
- "Move-in" participants with a previously certified renewable energy system who begin PSE electric service after the effective date of this notice and who obtain certification of eligibility from the WSU Energy Program.
Residential- and commercial-scale projects on the RESIP application waiting list prior to December 12, 2019, will remain on the waiting list. These applications will be eligible for certification if the WSU Energy Program resumes certifying projects for inclusion in RESIP.
Community solar and shared-commercial projects that have applied for precertification prior to December 12, 2019, will remain eligible for full certification under the applicable terms of pre-certification.
PSE's decision to terminate participation in RESIP as of December 12, 2019, is due to the program budget being fully committed two years earlier than anticipated by the governing legislation.
Incentive Payment Process (9-9-19)
Participants in the two renewable energy incentive programs administered by the WSU Energy Program may have questions about the incentive payment process. Here are some details we hope are useful:
- Your incentive payments are based on electricity generated in a fiscal year, which runs from July 1 to June 30 the following year.
- Your first payment will be based on your production from the date your system was certified (or you became the system owner) to the end of the fiscal year.
- Most utilities read your production information each year on or around June 30; others collect the reading from the customer.
- WSU receives and reviews this production information from your utility, and returns payment information to your utility for processing.
During this process, we are unable to provide production readings to utility customers because we are working with each utility to ensure data accuracy.
- Your utility will issue your incentive payment. Look for it to arrive in early fall, but each utility sets its own schedule for issuing incentive payments.
Please feel free to contact us (SolarProgram@energy.wsu.edu or 360-956-2200) if you have additional questions.
Update: Renewable Energy System Incentive Program (6-14-19)
Renewable Energy Stakeholders:
I am writing to share with you information on the status of the Washington State Renewable Energy System Incentive Program. Those of you who have tracked the program know that the Washington State Legislature set a limit of $110 million for the total amount of tax credits available to utilities to support incentive payments under the program. We have reached that $110 million cap.
Over the past two months, we have been fine-tuning our estimates of what has been committed – either to projects that are already certified, or to those that have been pre-certified. As we did that, we have moved projects from the legislatively mandated waiting list into review and even into certified or pre-certified status. However, we believe that we have refined the estimates to the point where it would not be prudent to continue processing applications that are on the waiting list. Therefore, the WSU Energy Program does not intend to review any incentive applications for new systems received after June 14, 2019, until sometime after the first of the year, if at all.
The Legislature contemplated this funding lasting for as many as four program years from its initiation in July 2017. The cap was reached in less than half of that time, which I take as evidence of a strong and healthy installation community, and a market full of interest in the benefits that renewable energy systems provide.
I look forward to following and supporting the continued development of renewable energy in Washington during the coming years.
Todd Currier, Director
WSU Energy Program
Deadlines to Address ESSB 5939’s Funding Limit (republished 6-11-19)
Due to the high level of interest in the Renewable Energy System Incentive Program and the funding limitations prescribed in the governing legislation, we established the following requirements. These requirements apply only to the overall $110 million funding limit; additional utility-specific funding limitations may apply.
Residential-Scale & Commercial-Scale Projects
- Applications must have been submitted by 5:00 p.m. on February 14, 2019 and have a final electrical inspection date no later than January 31, 2019.
- Applications received after February 14, 2019, or that have a final electrical inspection date after January 31, 2019, will be placed on a waitlist and will be processed only if funds are available.
Community Solar & Shared Commercial Solar Projects
All eligible sponsors of community solar or shared commercial solar projects must have submitted a precertification application by 5:00 p.m. on November 16, 2018. Applications received after this date will be placed on a waitlist and will be processed only if funds are available.
Apply Online for the Renewable Energy System Incentive Program
Use the online application to apply to the incentive program approved by the Washington State Legislature in 2017.
Incentive Payments and Production Confirmation
As the end of the fiscal year approaches (June 30), WSU is working closely with all 48 participating utilities to collect production information and calculate incentive payments. Payments will be issued by your utility. No specific dates for payment by any given utility are available.
Some utilities may send their customers a confirmation of electricity production from participating renewable energy systems. If your utility sent a production confirmation letter and you have questions about this letter, please contact your utility.
Transfer of Ownership Process (5-8-19)
Original owner:
If you are selling a property where a certified renewable energy system is located, you will want to provide your electric utility with your new address so the utility can send you your production incentive for the portion of the fiscal year that you owned the property.
New owner:
If you purchased property that includes a certified renewable energy system, please send an email to SolarProgram@energy.wsu.edu with the following information:
- Full name of the electric account holder
- Full service address
- Name of the utility company AND your account number
- Full name of the previous owner
- Date when the property with the renewable energy system was purchased
Application Status Update (5-14-19)
| 7,084 | Certified |
| 23 | Shared commercial & community solar project precertifications |
| 119 | Under review |
| 100 | Waitlisted |
Application Status Update (4-15-19)
| 6,898 | Certified |
| 22 | Shared commercial & community solar project precertifications |
| 155 | Under review |
| 152 | Waitlisted |
Application Review Update (3-4-19)
We are currently completing our review of incentive applications that were received on or before February 14, 2019.
Applications received after February 14, 2019, are on a waitlist. If funds within the legislated $110 million cap become available, these applications will be reviewed in the order received.
IMPORTANT: Deadlines to Address ESSB 5939’s Funding Limit (10-9-18)
Due to the high level of interest in the Renewable Energy System Incentive Program and the funding limitations prescribed in the governing legislation, we have established the following requirements, which will govern the incentive program's closure.
Be advised that these requirements apply only to the overall $110 million funding limit; there are additional utility-specific funding limitations.
Residential-Scale & Commercial-Scale Projects
- Applications must be submitted by 5:00 p.m. on February 14, 2019 and have a final electrical inspection date no later than January 31, 2019.
- Applications received after February 14, 2019, or that have a final electrical inspection date after January 31, 2019, will be placed on a waitlist and will be processed only if funds are available.
Community Solar & Shared Commercial Solar Projects
All eligible sponsors of community solar or shared commercial solar projects must have submitted a precertification application by 5:00 p.m. on November 16, 2018. Applications received after this date will be placed on a waitlist and will be processed only if funds are available.
Apply Online for the Renewable Energy System Incentive Program
Use the online application to apply to the incentive program approved by the Washington State Legislature in 2017. PowerClerk® lets you:
- Create and submit a new incentive application,
- Check the status of their application as the review process gets underway.
For a list of participating utilities, please see the pdf file in the right-hand navigation menu.
Incentive Payments and Production Confirmation
WSU is working closely with all 48 participating utilities in Washington to collect production information and calculate incentive payments. Payments will be issued by your utility. No specific dates for payment by any given utility are available.
Some utilities may send their customers a confirmation of electricity production from participating renewable energy systems. If your utility sent a production confirmation letter and you have questions about this letter, please contact your utility.
This is the first year WSU and the utilities are working through this new requirement, and we appreciate your patience while we complete this process.
Announcement Archive
Submit Application within 30 Days of Final Electrical Inspection (5-14-18)
As we approach the end of the fiscal year (June 30, 2018), it is crucial that installers and customer-owners submit incentive applications to the WSU Energy Program within 30 days of the final electrical inspection date. If an application is received after this 30-day window, an initial meter read will be required before the system can be certified.
The consequences of submitting an application beyond the 30-day window include:
- The customer-owner will not get production credit for the period between the final electrical inspection and the initial meter read.
- The customer-owner will not receive the incentive rate for FY 2018.
For example, if a system passes its final electrical inspection on May 1, 2018, but the application is not submitted until July 1, 2018, that system will require an initial meter read before it can be certified. Because that meter read will occur after the application is submitted, the customer-owner will receive the incentive rate for FY 2019 (which starts on July 1, 2018).
Conversely, if a system passes its final electrical inspection on June 1, 2018, and the application is submitted prior to July 1, 2018, that system would qualify for a FY 2018 incentive rate.
Date of System Certification (3-30-18)
To determine the date of system certification, the WSU Energy Program will use the date of final electrical inspection as the date of certification, provided an application for certification is submitted within 30 days of the final electrical inspection.
Policy Statement: Can Total System Price Include Battery Storage?
As established in ESSB 5939, Washington’s Renewable Energy System Incentive Program sets out to expand the generation of grid-connected, distributed energy in a fair and equitable manner that encourages broad participation and adheres to the incentive limit of $110 million. Upon review of the legislation, the WSU Energy Program has made a preliminary determination that only the equipment that is necessary and integral to the generation of electricity in a grid-connected renewable energy system can be included in the total system price. Because our emergency rule did not explicitly address this issue, we have approved a small number of applications that include storage and extra equipment in the total system price. The final rule will speak directly to energy storage systems.
Renewable Energy Cost Recovery Incentive Program
The reapplication period for previously certified Renewable Energy Cost Recovery Incentive Program recipients ended April 30, 2018. If you have questions or concerns, please send an email to solarprogram@energy.wsu.edu.