Any person, business, or household, as defined in WAC
504-49-150, that participates in any of the four types of renewable energy projects defined in sections 5 through 8, chapter 36, Laws of 2017, 3rd sp. sess. (ESSB 5939), must meet the specified participation requirements and is subject to the system capacity limits, application requirements, and incentive limits, as follows:
(1) Residential-scale:
(a) Participation: The participant must be an owner of a residential-scale renewable energy system that is not a utility and:
(i) Is a customer of the utility that serves that location and has established an interconnection agreement with the utility for the renewable energy system; and
(ii) Either owns or occupies the premises where the renewable energy system is installed.
(b) Capacity: Twelve kilowatts direct current or less, combined:
(i) Example 1: A property with a six kilowatts direct current solar system on one structure and a five kilowatts direct current system on the same or separate structure qualifies for the residential-scale incentive rate because the total capacity is less than twelve kilowatts direct current, combined.
(ii) Example 2: A property with a six kilowatts direct current solar system on one structure and a seven kilowatts direct current system on the same or separate structure does not qualify for the residential-scale incentive rate because the total capacity is greater than twelve kilowatts direct current, combined. This combined system instead qualifies for the commercial-scale incentive rate.
(iii) Example 3: A property with a twelve kilowatt direct current solar system, production metered and applying for the incentive, and any additional direct current system, production metered or not, and not applying for the incentive, on the same or separate structure, does not qualify for the residential-scale incentive rate because the combined capacity is greater than twelve kilowatts direct current. This combined system instead qualifies for the commercial-scale incentive rate.
(iv) In the case of multiple renewable energy systems on a structure such as a condominium or commercial building, each having a separate customer-owner and separate utility and production meters, each system, if under twelve kilowatts direct current, would qualify for the residential-scale rate.
(c) Application: The owner submits a completed application to the energy program for certification per requirements specified in WAC
504-49-220.
(d) Annual incentive limit: Five thousand dollars per person, business, or household.
(2) Commercial-scale:
(a) Participation: The participant must be an owner of a commercial-scale renewable energy system that is not a utility and:
(i) Is a customer of the utility that serves that location and has established an interconnection agreement with the utility for the renewable energy system; and
(ii) Either owns or occupies the premises where the renewable energy system is installed.
(b) Capacity: Greater than twelve kilowatts direct current, combined.
(i) Example 1: A property with a six kilowatts direct current solar system on one structure and a seven kilowatts direct current system on the same or separate structure qualifies for the commercial-scale incentive rate because the total capacity is greater than twelve kilowatts direct current, combined.
(ii) Example 2: A property with a six kilowatts direct current solar system on one structure and a five kilowatts direct current system on the same or separate structure qualifies for the residential-scale incentive rate because the total capacity is less than twelve kilowatts direct current, combined.
(c) Application: The owner submits a completed application to the energy program for certification per requirements specified in WAC
504-49-220.
(d) Annual incentive limit: Twenty-five thousand dollars per person, business, or household.
(3) Shared commercial solar:
(a) Administration: Administrators of this project type must be a utility or a business under contract with a utility;
(b) Participation: Projects must have at least five project participants, each of which is a customer of the utility and located in the state of Washington;
(c) Capacity: Combined nameplate capacity greater than one megawatt direct current and not more than five megawatts direct current;
(d) Application:
(i) Precertification. Prior to applying for certification, a shared commercial solar administrator must apply for precertification against the remaining funds available for incentive payments as of July 1, 2017. Precertification application requirements include, but are not limited to:
(A) The name of the utility serving the project location;
(B) Contact information for the project administrator and technical management personnel; and
(C) System information, including system component details and operation data such as global positioning system coordinates, tilt, estimated shading, and azimuth, as applicable;
(D) Additional information regarding deployment of projects in low- and moderate-income communities, as those terms are defined in RCW
43.63A.510, as requested.
(ii) Certification. The application for certification may not exceed the precertified system capacity. An application for certification must be completed by the shared commercial solar project administrator and approved by the energy program within one year of precertification issuance. Extensions past the three hundred sixty-five-day period are not granted. Projects that do not meet this deadline lose precertification status.
(e) Incentive rate: The incentive rate is set at the date of precertification approval;
(f) Annual incentive limit: Thirty-five thousand dollars per participant (person, business, household), consistent with their share of participation.
(4) Community solar project:
(a) Administration: A utility, nonprofit, or local housing authority that organizes or administers a solar project;
(b) Participation: The project must have at least ten participants, or one participant for every ten kilowatts direct current nameplate capacity, whichever is greater; and all participants must be customers of the participating utility;
(c) Capacity: Nameplate capacity that is no more than one thousand kilowatts direct current;
(d) There are no limitations on location unless stated in this section: Community solar project systems must be located in the state of Washington;
(e) Application:
(i) Precertification. Prior to applying for certification, a community solar project administrator must apply for precertification against the remaining funds available for incentive payments as of July 1, 2017. Precertification application requirements include, but are not limited to:
(A) The name of the utility serving the project location;
(B) Contact information for the project administrator and technical management personnel; and
(C) System information, including system component details and operation data such as global positioning system coordinates, tilt, estimated shading, and azimuth, as applicable.
(ii) Certification. The application for certification may not exceed the precertified system capacity. An application for certification must be completed by the community solar project administrator and approved by the energy program within one year of precertification issuance. Extensions past the three hundred sixty-five-day period are not granted. Projects that do not meet this deadline lose precertification status.
(f) Incentive rate: The incentive rate is set at the date of precertification approval;
(g) Annual incentive limit: Five thousand dollars per participant (person, business, household), consistent with their share of participation.
