Want to generate your own renewable energy in Mason County?
We consider ourselves experts in the renewable energy department here in Mason County. With 300 kilowatts of solar power installed and closely monitored at our Johns Prairie operations center, we’re ready to lend a hand to our customers who are interested in generating their own renewable energy.
PUD 3 is Your Trusted & Reliable Energy Partner
We’re Here to Help Meet Your Energy Needs
Solar power systems have grown in popularity and efficiency, and have come down in price over the past few years. In order to better educate our customers on the pros (and cons) of solar power, we created this section on our website, which has all you need to know about going solar in Mason County. It provides background on system basics, net-metering and connecting to the utility grid.
Installing a solar power system is a big investment. We’re here to help.
Like all government programs, there are mountains of paperwork involved with going solar. We can help.
Below you will find a list of useful forms and documents for your solar power experience in Mason County. If you have questions, please call our conservation department at (360) 426-0777.
You can submit completed application packets to our Solar email box.
Community Solar: All the benefits of having your own solar power system, without all the hassles.
In 2015, PUD 3 installed Mason County’s first shared solar energy project. The 75-kilowatt project is located at PUD 3’s Johns Prairie operations center. Approximately 110 PUD customers are reaping benefits of energy produced by the solar array, a Washington State Production Incentive, and federal tax credits. Nearly 2,900 “solar units” were allocated to customers who had registered to participate and collectively pay for the project. Customers signing up for the program requested nearly twice as many units than were available.
Participants saw their investment paid off in only 4 years in 3 ways:
An annual credit on a customer’s electric bill based on the electricity generated by their share of the project.- An annual Washington State production incentive of $1.08 per kWh that a customer’s solar units generate through 2020.
- The opportunity to use a federal tax credit for solar energy systems.
With over 100 home solar power systems installed throughout Mason County, PUD 3 customers have shown a great deal of interest in renewable energy.
The shared solar project helps customers who for one or more reasons can’t take advantage of solar energy at their homes:
The cost is out of their range.- Solar panels, brackets, and connectors can weigh down a roof.
- There’s not enough of a southern exposure to catch the sun.
- Nearby trees may block the sun.
- Restrictive homeowners association’s covenants.
- Adopting a lifestyle required for a home renewable energy system.
