Since this web page of information was written, we have a couple of new laws in Washington State -with some details still being ironed out.
More info is available on our site by clicking here.
Solar Energy in Washington State Law
Chapter 19.27A Energy-Related Building Standards
19.27A.020 Restricts glazing area of building to 15 percent of floor area but with consideration of solar heat gain through the glazing may be increased to 17 or 21 percent, depending on the climatic area of the state.
Chapter 19.29A Consumers of Electricity
19.29A.060 Requires disclosure of fuel mix used in generating electricity by retail suppliers, including solar generation if it exceeds 2% of the total.
19.29A.090 Requires electric utilities to make available for voluntary purchase power produced by renewable resources, including solar.
Chapter 28A.320 Common Schools
28A.320.330 Authorizes schools to use capital funds to conduct energy audits for energy conservation measures, including solar energy and to install those which are cost effective, which is not defined.
Chapter 35.63 Cities and Towns - Planning Commissions
35.63.015, 060, 080 and 090 Authorizes Planning Commissions to make inquiries about the potential for solar energy (comprehensively defined) development and the means to protect access to sunlight for solar energy systems. Authorizes ordinances which protect access to sunlight for solar energy systems.
Chapter 35.92 Cities and Towns - Municipal Utilities
35.92.360 Authorizes financial and other assistance to owners of structures or equipment served by the utility for the installation of equipment that generates electricity from renewable sources, including solar, if the cost per unit of energy is not greater than the next least costly new energy resource that could be acquired by the utility. Loans may be billed with electric service and may not be longer that 120 months.
Chapter 35.97 Cities and Towns - Municipal Heating Systems
35.97 Authorizes municipal heating systems which may include a solar collection facility as the heat source.
Chapter 35A.63 Code Cities - Planning and Zoning
35A.63.062, 100 Allows an optional element in the comprehensive plan for encouragement and protection of access to sunlight for solar energy systems (comprehensively defined). Authorizes ordinances which protect access to sunlight for solar energy systems.
Chapter 36.70 Counties - Planning Enabling Act
36.70.025, 350, 560 Allows an optional element in the comprehensive plan for encouragement and protection of access to sunlight for solar energy systems (comprehensively defined). Authorizes ordinances which protect access to sunlight for solar energy systems.
Chapter 36.70A - Growth Management Act
Allows an optional element in the plan for physical development of solar energy (not defined).
Chapter 39.35 - Energy Conservation on Design of Public Facilities
39.35.010, 030 Requires inclusion of renewable energy systems, including solar energy (comprehensively defined), in the energy consumption analysis of buildings.
Chapter 43.19 - Dept of General Administration
43.19.663 Requires General Administration to investigate opportunities to aggregate purchase of clean technologies, including the purchase of electricity produced by solar energy
43.19.670, 675, 680 Requires energy audits of state buildings to be completed in 2001 and 2002 to include solar energy (comprehensively defined) as an energy conservation measure.
Chapter 43.21F - State Energy Office
43.21F.025 Includes “solar radiation” in definition of “energy”
Chapter 64.04 - Conveyances
64.04.140, 150, 160, 170 Authorizes easements to protect access to direct sunlight for solar energy (comprehensively defined) systems and provides remedies when easements interfered with.
Chapter 80.28 Gas, Electric and Water Utilities
80.28.024, 025, Between 6/1980 and 12/1989 the Utilities and Transportation Commission is required to adopt policies to encourage reducing energy demand by various means, including producing energy from solar energy. Projects included in the rate base must be equal or less cost per unit of energy produced than the cost of nuclear or fossil fuel power.
Chapter 80.50 Energy Facilities Site Evaluation Council
80.50.020 Solar energy is an “alternative energy resource” but definition is never used in 80.50.
Chapter 80.60 Net Metering
80.60.010, 020 Electric utilities shall allow net metering for systems on the property of the customer up to 0.1 percent of the utility’s peak demand in 1996.
Chapter 82.08, 12 Retail Sales Tax and Use Tax
82.08.02567, 12.02567 Exempts solar systems “used directly” in generating electricity from the retail state (but not local) sales tax and use tax until 6/2009.
Chapter 82.16 Public Utility Tax
82.16.055 Between 6/1980 and 12/1989 exempted energy generated by solar energy at new facilities from the public utility tax if the energy produced is equal or less costly per unit of energy produced than the cost of nuclear or fossil fuel power.