Judy Hallisey: Legislation opens up opportunities for solar in state

By Judy Hallisey

Washington’s solar industry is booming, but this hasn’t reached equitably across our communities, and often has unintended consequences for natural and working lands. One bipartisan bill at the Washington state Legislature seeks to make progress in addressing these two challenges of the solar boom.

The end of 2021 saw a record number of solar projects installed, and Washington’s Department of Fish and Wildlife reports it currently has 40 utility-scale solar energy proposals seeking to develop across 54,000 acres. Meeting our climate targets will require significant renewable energy siting in the coming years, and this increased demand is a great sign of progress. As we design these processes, it is imperative that we are thoughtful in our approach – the needs of our agricultural areas, important habitat lands, and of various communities must be considered.

Consider the Columbia Plateau in the sunny interior of our state. It’s facing the overlapping pressures to further develop, to conserve iconic natural habitats like the shrub steppe, and is also an area ripe for solar development. One way these pressures are being addressed is through an exciting least-conflict pilot project, funded by the legislature in 2021 and kicking off this July. A “least-conflict” approach to energy siting will bring relevant stakeholders together to map out areas of agreement and disagreement, serving to generate local support for efficient and community-informed solar projects.

There is also incredible opportunity in residential solar development, and in our existing built environment. Access to solar energy has remained largely out of reach for millions of Washingtonians, especially renters and low-income families, due to high upfront costs, unsuitable roofs, and tree cover.

To this end, one solution we should be investing in is community solar, allowing multiple community members to participate in a single solar array. State Rep. Sharon Shewmake, D-Bellingham, has introduced a legislative proposal to fund community solar projects that benefit low-income Washintonians, House Bill 1814. This bill creates a solar incentive program to fund the up-front costs of solar development on rooftops and brownfield sites for low-income households. With a combination of the Omicron virus and the biggest jump in inflation in over 40 years, necessities like food and energy are increasingly putting more pressure on already strained families. The program is a perfect example of how we can leverage clean energy to provide long term economic relief to Washington communities most burdened by energy bills.

This legislation would also relieve pressures on local landowners, natural resources, and on our agricultural lands by ensuring that public investments will be focused on preferred sites, such as the built environment, existing impervious surfaces, landfills, and brownfields.

The least-conflict siting process and HB 1814 both present exciting opportunities for the future of clean energy in Washington. Balancing the needs of our agricultural communities, protecting the natural landscapes we all cherish, and making clean energy accessible to all Washingtonians regardless of income or geography, is possible. The Washington State Legislature should continue investing in projects that prioritize equitable access and meaningful stakeholder engagement, and that can start with passing HB 1814.

Judy Hallisey is president of the Kittitas Audubon Society.