Solarize Kirkland January 2016 Issue

January 2016 E-Newsletter

Solarize Kirkland Gets Extended!

There's all kinds of good news for Solarize Kirkland enthusiasts! If you weren't able to take part in the first phase of the Solarize Kirkland campaign, you're in luck! We're adding four more workshops between May and August, 2016, and the excellent Solarize pricing will continue until early in 2017.

In addition to the continuation of the program, the 30 percent federal tax credit was extended beyond its original sunset date of Dec. 31, 2016. Legislation extending the Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) was signed into law on December 18th, 2015. The bill extends the 30 percent Solar Investment Tax Credits for both residential and commercial projects through the end of 2019, and then drops the credit to 26 percent in 2020, and 22 percent in 2021 before dropping permanently to 10 percent for commercial projects and zero percent for residential projects.

Now we're just keeping an eye on the Washington State Legislature to see how they treat House Bill 2346. This bill, sponsored by Reps. Jeff Morris and Norma Smith, will stabilize the production incentive so that potential Solarize customers will be assured of their payback period. We should know the results by the time our first 2016 workshops take place.

To find your legislator to let him or her know that you support HB 2346, go HERE.

Refer a Customer! Get a Rebate!

Do you have contacts who might be interested in purchasing a solar array system through Solarize Kirkland? If so and your contacts sign a contract with Northwest Electric & Solar, then you'll be eligible to receive a check for $100 per kW of the system! So if you refer a new customer that signs a contract for an average 5-7 kWs, then you'd receive a check for $500-$700!

Homeowner Committee Chooses Nonprofit Community Award

A committee made up of homeowners who were "early adopters" of the Solarize Kirkland program and responsible for helping the program achieve its first goal of 25 contracts, chose Friends of Youth to receive a 12-panel 3.8 kW system valued at over $16,000 from Northwest Electric & Solar.

"We are thrilled to be chosen to receive a donated solar array as part of the Solarize Kirkland campaign," said Terry Pottmeyer, president and CEO of Friends of Youth, headquartered in Kirkland. "Not only will this donation create a renewable energy source for one of our buildings, it will allow us to invest the money we save on our electric bill in the children, youth and families we serve."

The installation is planned for mid- to late March, just in time to celebrate the successful conclusion of the first phase of the Solarize Kirkland campaign.