Solar and Storage Add Value to Washington’s Energy Grid
Washingtonians Deserve a Fair Process that Evaluates the Full Value of Solar
Understanding the Study
The Washington Academy of Sciences (WSAS) is conducting the state’s first comprehensive study on the Value of Distributed Solar and Storage (VOSS) — a project initiated through 2023 legislation championed by WASEIA.
This study will help define how Net Energy Metering (NEM) and distributed solar are valued across Washington’s 64 electric utilities. With more utilities nearing or exceeding the 4% NEM participation cap, this research will guide transparent, consistent, and equitable policy decisions for the future of clean energy in our state.
📄 Read more: Net Energy Metering and the Value of Distributed Solar + Storage Study
Why the VOSS Study Matters
The VOSS study will provide a standardized, evidence-based framework to evaluate distributed solar and storage benefits across Washington.
It aims to:
Quantify ratepayer impacts and system benefits of customer-owned solar and batteries
Incorporate environmental and social value streams often excluded from utility cost models
Guide equitable and effective updates to Washington’s NEM and distributed-energy policies
In August 2025, WASEIA retained M.Cubed, a leading energy-economics consulting firm, to submit detailed technical comments on the WSAS Interim Report. These comments emphasized the need for transparent assumptions, inclusion of “self-generation” rights, and consideration of real-world data over unsupported opinions.
Board President Jon Lange’s Letter to WSAS
In November 2025, WASEIA Board President Jon Lange submitted a letter to the Washington Academy of Sciences urging integration of findings from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) into the VOSS framework.
The NREL report, “Rooftop Solar Deployment, Potential Electricity Rate Impacts, and the Timing of Revisions to State Net Metering Policy,” presents data showing that in most states:
When rooftop solar adoption is below 3%, rate impacts on non-adopters are typically less than $1 per month
Even in higher-penetration states (3–7%), impacts remain modest, generally under $6 per month
Policy revisions to net metering have not always aligned with actual market data — highlighting the need for evidence-based, equitable policy timing
Jon also encouraged WSAS to incorporate NREL’s open-access datasets and analysis tools into the Washington-specific modeling process to improve accuracy and transparency.
Submitting Your Comment to the UTC
Our Comment Letters
As Washington moves toward finalizing the Value of Solar and Storage study, your voice matters.
WASEIA encourages members, employees, and customers to share informed, constructive comments with the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) to ensure the outcomes of this study reflect a fair, data-driven path forward for distributed energy in our state.
Here are our comment letter templates:
Use these templates as a guide to submit your personalized comment to the UTC.
How to Submit a Comment
Help shape the future of solar in Washington by submitting a comment on the PacifiCorp rate case (Docket UE-250695).
To submit a comment:
Fill out the online form: UTC Public Comment Form
Under “What company are you commenting about?” type: Pacificorp
- Include this docket number in the first line of your comment: Docket: UE-250695
- Use one of the templates above to help you submit your comment to the UTC!
Please let us know if you have submitted a comment by emailing us at [email protected] with a screenshot or notice!
WASEIA Kicks off the Value of Solar and Storage Study
WASEIA recently participated in a workgroup to provide input to a consulting group hired by a utility consortium. The consultant was tasked with analyzing the impact net energy metering (NEM) of local solar has on Washington’s energy grid. We contend that this workgroup was organized and executed on an accelerated timeline that did not allow for sufficient feedback or thorough analysis. Furthermore, the list of stakeholders who participated did not provide complete representation for the interests of Washington. Consequently, we argue that the consultant’s report is significantly flawed, both in terms of technical aspects and methodology.
We believe that the people of Washington deserve a comprehensive, careful, and all-encompassing study on the value of solar energy. WASEIA maintains that this report is notably deficient and unsuitable for evaluating the overall value solar provides to our state. Therefore, we urge all interested parties to completely disregard its influence and conclusions.
Stakeholder Responses:
Subject Matter Experts, M.Cubed
M.Cubed Comments on Washington Utilities NEM Evaluation-Draft Results
Clean Energy and Energy Justice organizations, Northwest Energy Coalition and Spark Northwest
NWEC and NW Spark Comments on Washington Utilities NEM Evaluation
Washington’s Local Solar Industry, Washington Solar Energy Industries Association
The Economic Benefits of Rooftop Solar to Washington
Rooftop solar is well-suited to help Washington meet its 2030 net zero carbon target while creating economic benefits to the state. Yet Washington has been a laggard in rooftop photovoltaics (PV) adoption, with per capita installation just 17% of the national average. Only 1.4% of households have rooftop solar currently.
- The economic benefits from achieving high rooftop solar adoption levels would be substantially greater than relying on utility-scale solar or wind to supply the same amount of capacity.
- Rooftop solar will sustain as many as 1,792 jobs in 2024 compared to a high estimate of 290 jobs associated with utility-scale solar and 239 for wind for the same installed capacity.
- By 2030 maintaining existing net metering regulations would result in as many as 6,650 jobs for rooftop solar compared to a high of 1,077 for utility-scale solar and 886 for wind. Read More
