Community Solar

“Federal and Washington solar programs are making it possible to get solar installed on your home at no cost,” one ad proclaims to Washington residents, and “to reduce demand on the grid, your utility company will now pay you a credit for going solar.”

If you see a deal like this one, it could well be a scam. While solar power is a great investment that can pay for itself in the longer term, and the federal and state provide support for solar power for some consumers, solar panel installation is usually not free and utility companies are not providing free solar power. Learn more about how to avoid solar power scams, Visit the Solar Washington website.

Community solar is a step toward sustainable living. And it’s an excellent alternative for those who want access to solar power but are unable to host their solar system. Our community solar project gives the participants an affordable and flexible way to use solar energy.

We’ve taken care of the construction, costs of upkeep, insurance, and management of the multi-year solar project which has been built on the Vera Water and Power campus. The clean energy from the solar panels is used right here in the Spokane Valley.

To provide our customers this unique option, we built the first phase of the community solar project on our campus in 2016 and constructed phase 2 in 2018.

The cost of the project was funded by customers who voluntarily purchased “blocks” of the solar power. The project is currently full, and we are no longer accepting new participants.

There have been 2 community solar projects completed to date. These projects are closed for participation. Should Vera Water and Power decide to build additional community solar projects, qualifying property owners in the district will be eligible to apply.

Participants also receive annual bill credits for their share of energy produced by the project, which will help offset retail energy costs throughout the expected life of the project.