Multi Occupant Solar

Multi-Occupant Solar

Generate your own power and share the savings with your tenants

PSE’s Multi-Occupant Solar program provides a way for property owners to install a solar system on their building and distribute financial credits directly to tenants’ utility bills. This results in lower energy costs for property owners and tenants, higher property value, and is a step toward a cleaner energy future.

Benefits of Multi-Occupant Solar:

Automated: Financial credits are automatically disbursed to selected tenants’ energy bills.
Save money: Both property owners and their tenants share the financial benefits of reduced energy bills.
Expand access: Reduce barriers and expand equitable access to solar energy.
Environmental impact: Be part of a more sustainable future for our communities.

Eligibility
Multi-Occupant Solar is for multifamily residential and small to medium commercial properties or non-profits operating in multi-occupant properties with multiple meters.

Owners:

Must be a current PSE electric service customer (electric Schedules numbered 7 through 49).

Have an AMI meter (cannot have a MV90 meter or participate in Schedule 171).

Solar PV system must have a completed Schedule 152 Interconnection Agreement and capacity cannot exceed 1,000 kW AC.

Projects cannot simultaneously participate in Multi-Occupant Solar and Customer Connected Solar (Net metering), Solar Energy Credit, Time of Use, or have a Power Purchase Agreement with PSE.

Occupants:

Projects must be located on the same property as your electric meter. However, if your property is on tribal land, this does not apply.

Billing for all occupants involved will be modified, if necessary, to occur on the same billing cycle.

No occupant participant may participate in the optional metering service Schedule 171.
How it works
The program is voluntary, and enrollment is simple.

Select an experienced contractor. We recommend you use PSE's Recommended Energy Professionals (REPs) list where you can find a dependable and qualified solar contractor. The contractor will help you determine if your property is ideal for solar. We recommend you get multiple bids on your project and check their references.

Interconnect with PSE. Once you’ve selected an installer, they'll help lead you through the process of interconnecting your solar installation to the PSE power grid. The interconnection process, from initial application submittal to final approval to operation, can take 6 to 24 months to complete, depending on project complexity.

Find out more about the interconnection process here.

Designate secondary beneficiaries. The owner of the solar array determines how to allocate the exported energy to building occupants. The allocation can be updated annually at no cost.

Credit allocation. The solar project’s meter separates the used (consumed) and exported (Energy to PSE) energy. Solar energy generated that is offset by energy used on the customer side of the meter is not measured by the meter and would not be counted as exported energy. The exported energy is divided per the owner’s allocation and appears as a Multi-Occupant Solar Energy Credit.

Credit calculation. Each credit is calculated as the interconnected solar project’s Energy to PSE (kWh) multiplied by the allocation (percent) multiplied by the Solar Energy Credit rate ($0.067130/kWh). For example, a property might use the house meter for shared spaces like the lobby and hallways, and any unused energy is sent back to the grid. This unused exported energy is credited on customer bills when the project signs up for the program and completes interconnection, reducing tenants’ energy costs.

For more details of this service, see Schedule 686.
Enhanced Incentives for affordable housing providers and Tribes
There are limited incentives available up to 100% or $250,000 per approved project to reduce the upfront cost of installing a solar system. Up to $50,000 of the funding can be used toward associated interconnection costs.

Qualified applicants are Tribal entities and/or affordable housing providers. Successful applications will demonstrate that at least half of the property's units are occupied by Tribal members and/or low-income residents.

Applications for these incentives are reviewed each month and are prioritized by how much of the financial savings from the solar project the applicant passes on to low-income households or Tribal members.

Current and past recipients of solar grants or incentives may apply.

To be eligible for Enhanced Incentives, you must:

Demonstrate that at least half of the property’s units are occupied by low-income households or Tribal members.

Have a project located in PSE’s electric service area.

Own the project site or lease it with a minimum of 5 years remaining.

Enroll in Multi-Occupant Solar.

Receive permission to operate by completing a Schedule 152 interconnection.

When requested, sign a Multi-Occupant Service agreement with PSE.

Plan to complete installation no later than 12 months after the agreement is signed.

Have an average of 75% Total Solar Resource Fraction (TSRF) of all points in the proposed solar array.

Have questions about PSE's Mutli-Occupant Solar program and how to get started? We're here to help.

WANT TO INSTALL SOLAR?

Request a list of PSE Recommended Energy Professionals (REPs) who can help you with solar for your multi-occupant property.

MULTI-OCCUPANT SOLAR ENHANCED INCENTIVES

Enhanced incentives of up to $250,000 per project are available to reduce the upfront cost of installing a solar system. Affordable housing providers and Tribal entities are qualified and encouraged to apply.