Snohomish County PUD customers soon could purchase units in a field of solar panels being built in Arlington. Construction began in February and will finish in May. (Snohomish County PUD)

Snohomish County PUD customers soon could purchase units in a field of solar panels being built in Arlington. Construction began in February and will finish in May. (Snohomish County PUD)

Bite-sized solar investment is coming to Snohomish County

A new program will allow residents and renters to buy into solar energy for as little as $120.

ARLINGTON — Homeowners and apartment dwellers alike can soon buy into solar energy generated in Arlington.

A new Snohomish County Public Utility District program will allow those who can’t afford their own rooftop solar unit, don’t have an adequate roof or live in rented housing to support the development of solar power.

“Community Solar” launches this spring.

Customers can purchase units in a field of solar panels being built in Arlington. Each unit consists of one-fifth of a solar panel and will cost $120.

That initial investment will be regained in 10 years through rebates on PUD bills and state clean energy incentives. For each unit, the annual savings would total $16.50 — $5 in energy costs and $11.50 in state reimbursement.

Construction began in February and will finish up in May, PUD spokesman Aaron Swaney said. Seattle-based A&R Solar is building the field for $900,000.

The 2-acre solar panel array is just west of the Arlington Municipal Airport, in the Arlington-Marysville Manufacturing Industrial Center. It will be home to 8,100 units, Swaney said. That’s enough to power about 50 homes annually. The most a customer can purchase is 130 units for $15,600. The project will allocate 10 percent of the panels to low-income households.

“This comes down to people who want to put their money into something that will help the environment and help support sustainable energy,” Swaney said.

The power generated by the panels will flow onto the PUD’s grid, as with any other generation source, to be used by all the utility’s customers. Those who participate in Community Solar will be credited for the energy created.

The PUD currently has about 15 megawatts of customer-owned solar, generated from business and residential rooftop panels. The Community Solar project will increase the district’s overall solar energy by about 3 percent.

They had plans to build the Arlington solar array before deciding to open it up to the general public, program manager Suzy Oversvee said.

“Without this program, the PUD, and all our customers, would bear this cost,” she said in an email.

The project will replace the PUD’s previous solar initiative, Planet Power, which pooled donated money to fund solar projects at nonprofits, schools, food banks and other buildings.

Swaney said the county has completed about 34 projects in the decade since Planet Power began. The program will discontinue this year.

There’s enough money left to fund a few more projects, Swaney said. The agency is looking for candidates, ideally a nonprofit or school building with a large, sunny roof.

With the changes, the PUD hopes to lower the barrier for accessing solar energy, Swaney said. The average cost to cover a home roof with panels is $25,000. Some homes don’t have large enough roofs or enough sunlight. And renters are left out.

The Orcas Power and Light Co. on Orcas Island recently completed a similar project. All the units were sold out before the 1.3-acre field was completed in July.

“Our membership out here in the San Juans is very renewable and green-based, so there was a very large interest in the community to pursue this,” head accountant Travis Neal said.

About 272 of that utility’s 15,000 customers bought into the project, he said.

The organization is now looking into expansion.

“Folks want to know when more is going to be available,” he said.

High demand is expected in Snohomish County as well, Oversvee said.

“We’ve gotten a pretty good response from folks so far,” she said. “Our customer base in general has shown strong support for solar in the past.”

Julia-Grace Sanders: 425-339-3439; jgsanders@heraldnet.com.

More info

The Snohomish County PUD is providing three open houses to answer questions about the Community Solar program.

They are set for 5:30 to 7 p.m., with short presentations at 5:30 and 6:15 p.m.

March 12

Snohomish County PUD Main Headquarters (Electric Building), Commission Room, 2320 California St., Everett.

March 14

Mountlake Terrace Library, 23300 58th Ave. West, Mountlake Terrace.

March 21

Lakewood/Smokey Point Library, 3411 169th Place NE, Suite A, Arlington.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Olivia Vanni / The Herald 
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County.
The Mukilteo Lighthouse. Built in 1906, it’s one of the most iconic landmarks in Snohomish County. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mukilteo mayor vetoes council-approved sales tax

The tax would have helped pay for transportation infrastructure, but was also set to give Mukilteo the highest sales tax rate in the state.

Marysville Mayor Jon Nehring gives the state of the city address at the Marysville Civic Center on Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, in Marysville, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Marysville council approves interim middle housing law

The council passed the regulations to prevent a state model code from taking effect by default. It expects to approve final rules by October.

x
State audit takes issue with Edmonds COVID grant monitoring

The audit report covered 2023 and is the third since 2020 that found similar issues with COVID-19 recovery grant documentation.

Bothell
Bothell man pleads guilty to sexual abuse of Marysville middle schoolers

The man allegedly sexually assaulted three students in exchange for vapes and edibles in 2022. His sentencing is set for Aug. 29.

Larsen talks proposed Medicaid cuts during Compass Health stop in Everett

Compass Health plans to open its new behavioral health center in August. Nearly all of the nonprofit’s patients rely on Medicaid.

Snohomish County Health Department Director Dennis Worsham on Tuesday, June 11, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Snohomish County Health Department director tapped as WA health secretary

Dennis Worsham became the first director of the county health department in January 2023. His last day will be July 3.

Police Cmdr. Scott King answers questions about the Flock Safety license plate camera system on Thursday, June 5, 2025 in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Mountlake Terrace approves Flock camera system after public pushback

The council approved the $54,000 license plate camera system agreement by a vote of 5-2.

Community members gather for the dedication of the Oso Landslide Memorial following the ten-year remembrance of the slide on Friday, March 22, 2024, at the Oso Landslide Memorial in Oso, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
The Daily Herald garners 6 awards from regional journalism competition

The awards recognize the best in journalism from media outlets across Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington.

Logo for news use featuring the municipality of Gold Bar in Snohomish County, Washington. 220118
Lynnwood man dies in fatal crash on US 2 near Gold Bar

The Washington State Patrol said the driver was street racing prior to the crash on Friday afternoon.

Thousands gather to watch fireworks over Lake Ballinger from Nile Shrine Golf Course and Lake Ballinger Park on Thursday, July 3, 2025 in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Thousands ‘ooh’ and ‘aah’ at Mountlake Terrace fireworks show

The city hosts its Independence Day celebrations the day before the July 4 holiday.

Liam Shakya, 3, waves at a float passing by during the Fourth of July Parade on Friday, July 4, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett celebrates Fourth of July with traditional parade

Thousands celebrated Independence Day by going to the annual parade, which traveled through the the city’s downtown core.

Ian Saltzman
Everett Public Schools superintendent wins state award

A group of school administrators named Ian Saltzman as a top educational leader.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.