Dreary, cloudy Washington? It’s really not that dreary. During the summer months especially, the region enjoys considerable sunlight.
Thanks to all that sunlight and the PenLight net-metering program, you can build energy credits in the summer months and work them off during our darker months.
Solar panels also operate more efficiently in our cooler summer weather, which means more power than hotter climates, not less. Solar energy systems keep working on cloudy days, too, collecting scattered light and generating power.
Sure, cities such as Gig Harbor and Portland may not produce as much solar power as the southwestern states, but we still generate enough to make solar a financially and environmentally viable solution.
During our long, sunny summers, your production can be much higher than what your energy use might be. That means you’re spinning your meter backward and generating credits with PenLight. If your system is matched to your consumption patterns, it’s possible you can generate enough credits during the summer to offset all of your winter consumption.
Washington offers a rich set of incentives for solar, both at home and for your business, including cash incentives for the power your system produces! In 2017, the state legislature approved the Renewable Energy System Incentive Program. It’s intended to reward solar system owners for the benefits their clean energy gives to the state of Washington. This program will enable thousands more to go solar during the program’s eight-year timeline.
Want to know more? Check out www.PenLight.org.