The Skagit Valley Clean Energy Cooperative is a member-owned, non-profit organization founded by Terry Nelson, Mary Wohleb, John Leaver, Marylee Chamberlain and Bob Raymond to speed up the energy transition in Skagit County. Anyone can join as a member, as I did last year.

Like most co-ops, SVCEC helps members find and acquire interesting things. REI focuses on recreational equipment. The Skagit Valley Food Coop focuses on groceries. The SVCEC focuses on advanced energy technologies.

SVCEC is pleased to announce Solarize Skagit, its first major program to help Skagitonians save money on advanced energy systems. Solarize Skagit is a partnership with Olympia Community Solar. Solarize Skagit’s goal is to make it as easy and cost-effective as possible for people to install solar panels, without having to do hours of research to choose a well-qualified solar contractor and find financing.

OCS is also a nonprofit. It facilitates development of solar electric generation systems. Last year, OCS ran a similar group purchasing campaign, which resulted in the installation of 129 home-scale solar systems in Thurston County. This year, SVCEC and OCS are working together to help Skagit County residents build that many, or more, solar systems here.

OCS has requested bids from established solar contractors for 100 or more solar panel installations in Skagit County. Installers can lower their costs through bulk purchasing. They also have an incentive to provide good prices to get that volume of business. Therefore, SVCEC and OCS can offer participants easy solar shopping, with confidence that the price will almost certainly be lower than participants could get on their own.

OCS was also able to help Solarize Thurston customers to get financing for their solar energy systems. We anticipate that a financing partner will participate in Solarize Skagit, so that people installing solar panels here will be able to find financing, along with a pre-vetted, low-cost installer, in one step. Financing solar energy allows participants to use the electric cost savings they’ll get through Puget Sound Energy’s net metering program to help pay for the cost of the panels over time, instead of having to pay for the panels wholly up front and then getting cost savings back gradually. Tax credits are also available.

How it works: If you’re interested in installing home solar power, the first step is to sign up for a solar assessment – a free evaluation of your property and electric bill. This can be done on the OCS website at https://olysol.org/solarize/. Specify Skagit County.

A representative of the installer chosen via the competitive bidding process will call on potential participants, to look at the location and walk potential participants through the details of exactly how installation, system integration and payment can be handled. The installer will explain how net metering, and corresponding reduced payments to PSE, will work. People are always free to call PSE directly to discuss or clarify anything the contractor has not made clear. If, after the assessment, you choose to participate, you just sign up for, and schedule, the installation directly with the contractor.

SVCEC is working on other concepts to help local people, businesses and government entities understand and acquire innovative energy, electric vehicle and energy networking technologies. Anyone who’s interested in becoming a member is invited to visit the SVCEC website at http://www.skagitvce.coop.