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K4C

King County Cities Climate Collaboration Dashboard

Renewable Energy

Over recent years, King County has looked to reduce its emissions by using cleaner energy sources including sun, wind, and geothermal. These efforts have resulted in a noticeable increase in renewable energy systems installed in commercial, residential and municipal sectors. Though the Northwest might not seem to be an ideal place for solar energy systems, the long, sunny summer equates to a lot of power created! When the cloudy winter arrives, solar panels are still able to harvest energy, although much less. Residential and Commercial entities that adopt solar benefit from lower utility bills as well as both state and federal tax incentives. Several cities have run "Solarize" campaigns to streamline the process and make the project more affordable, accessible, and easy for both the resident and the solar installer. 

How Has the Amount of Installed Solar Systems Changed over the Last Few Years?

This figure shows the cumulative renewable energy installed in each city. In 2011, 214 kW of renewable energy was installed in these four cities. Last year, the capacity grew to 6,094 kW! The rise of solar energy in this area shows each city’s dedication to reducing emissions. Bellevue, Mercer Island and Kirkland have all undergone city-sponsored "Solarize" campaigns since 2011. The impact of these campaigns is visible in each city’s data, with a few jumps in the years the campaigns were completed. While Redmond has yet to undergo a city sponsored solarize campaign, its per-year amount of solar systems installed has steadily risen due to the positive economic payback of solar. The size of a solar array indicates a solar panel’s power generation capabilities. This chart shows that the average homeowner installs between 25 and 35 panels on their roof. A solar panel is about 17.5 square feet with 270 watts of power "capacity". 1 kilowatt (kW) of solar panels (3.7 panels) generates about 1,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year in the Puget Sound. The average household in PSE territory consumes about 10,000 kWh. Therefore, 648 square feet of good solar access per roof is needed to supply average household use. While solar energy is an important energy source for our future, energy consumption may have to decrease for our homes to be run on completely renewable energy.

Cumulative Renewable Energy Installed (Total Capacity in kW)

Average Size of Solar Arrays Installed, By City

How Much Emissions Are Avoided via the Purchasing of PSE Green Power?

PSE green power is an optional program in which customers can purchase clean, renewable energy on their bill. In 2017, approximately 41,390 tonnes of emissions were collectively avoided through the purchase of this power. Additionally, green power purchased has increased since 2014. This program compliments citizens installing their own green power. To find out more, visit www.PSE.com/greenpower

Emissions Avoided from PSE Sales of Green Power by City