Electricity Rates in Washington

There are 56 companies in Washington selling electricity. Of those 56, 87.50% of them offer some type of net metering option for their customers, making solar panels and alternative electric sources more economically viable. The state of Washington has decent state level net metering legislation.

There are 35 providers in Washington that reported energy loss, including Puget Sound Energy, Seattle City Light, and Snohomish County PUD. Combined, these 35 companies average a yearly energy loss of 2.98% of electricity generated. For comparison, the countrywide average electricity loss is 2.87%. Washington has a rank of 22nd best in the nation for grid efficiency based on energy loss.

State governments can help encourage private citizens to install solar panels by issuing tax breaks and rebates. Washington has a tax credit of $1000 or less or no state tax. The state offers limited local rebates for solar panel installs. Washington offers no property tax exemptions to homeowners who install solar panels, making it less attractive for citizens to do so. Luckily, residents in the state have a 100% sales tax exemption for the install of private solar at a home. It doesn't get any better than this.

State level initiatives have a huge role in whether a state is friendly towards customers searching for renewable energy sources. Many states require green fuels to be a portion of the fuel used for electricity generation. These requirements are referred to as Renewable Portfolio Standards (RPS). While further enhancements could be made, Washington requires for 1-15% of electric output to come from renewable fuel types. Furthermore, the state does not have any sort of low income solar programs that help with the installation of solar panels at low income households.