Community solar project wins statewide award

Clark Public Utilities’ (CPU) Community Solar East, a 799-kilowatt solar array at the Port of Camas-Washougal’s industrial park, has been selected as one of 12 winners of the 2024 Washington State Department of Commerce (DOC) Governor’s Smart Communities awards, which recognize local governments and their partners for exceptional land use planning and development.

“Community Solar East demonstrates what great outcomes can be achieved for our communities, individuals and environment when public organizations collaborate,” said CPU Chief Executive Officer/General Manager Lena Wittler. “We’re grateful for the hard work and creativity everyone brought to this partnership from day one.”

Community Solar East was honored in the awards’ Smart Climate Strategies category, which recognizes local plans, policies, programs and/or actions addressing community climate impacts. The awards, which also highlight achievements in visioning, partnerships, projects, housing, and equity, “highlight each step in the local planning process and the hard work, collaboration and citizen engagement it takes to accomplish these community-led goals,” according to a news release.

“These awards are a constant reminder that work on our state’s most important issues takes place at a community level,” DOC Director Mike Fong said in the news release. “From housing to climate to equity, we are proud to see these transformative efforts taking place every year, strengthening our communities.”

In 2022, the Port partnered with CPU to install solar panels on five buildings in the Port’s industrial park. Using a concept known as virtual net metering, customers can participate in a renewable energy solution that pays them back with financial energy credits towards their electric bill.

The project, which launched in early 2024, includes 199 kilowatts for low-income customers; the solar electricity generated by the low-income portion of the project is credited to the CPU’s energy assistance program, Operation Warm Heart, which distributes energy assistance grants to customers in financial need.

“The Port of Camas-Washougal and Clark County Public Utilities are proud to champion the Community Solar East project,” Port Chief Executive Officer David Ripp said. “This partnership exemplifies our commitment to a sustainable future, showing that by harnessing the power of the sun, we can make a lasting difference in both our community and the environment. Our united efforts illuminate a brighter path towards clean energy and a greener tomorrow for all.”

Participating customers received their first annual solar energy credit, representing their portion of the solar power generated from the go-live date through June 30, in late July. Future annual energy credits will represent a full 12 months of solar generation. CPU estimates that the 799-kilowatt solar system will generate more than 900 megawatt hours (900,000 kilowatt hours) of solar electricity each year.

The project has more than 200 residential participants, 11 business participants, and seven government agency participants.

“Community Solar East has been a very successful project,” said CPU Clean Energy Program Manager Matt Babbitts. “Not only are we generating a substantial amount of renewable solar electricity right here in our community, we’ve also designed a public agency partnership model for community solar that includes participation options for low-income customers that will be a model capable of being replicated across the state.”

Washington Governor Jay Inslee said that he was “thrilled” to see the project when visited the industrial park in January.

“You’re using a tremendous, almost infinite resource of solar energy,” he told the gathered crowd. “You’re doing it on a financially sound basis. And, what is most impressive to me, you’re making sure that everybody in the community can access it, including people who are low-income, people who might not own their own roofs.”