All PSE natural gas customers can sign up for Carbon Balance. 

Please visit PSE's Renewable Energy home page to learn more about our renewable energy programs and sign-up!

You can also contact a PSE Energy Advisor at energyadvisor@pse.com or call 1-800-562-1482, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Natural gas customers can purchase carbon offset blocks for $4.50 each. Each block represents a reduction of greenhouse gases equal to 400 pounds of carbon dioxide. On average, a customer can negate their natural gas related carbon footprint by purchasing two blocks of Carbon Balance.

All PSE natural gas customers can sign up for Carbon Balance. If you are a natural gas customer

You can view your gas usage online by logging into your PSE account and selecting “my usage.” In the data browser, select “Energy Use.”

You can also contact an Energy Advisor at energyadvisor@pse.com or at 1-800-562-1482, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Yes, you may cancel at any time. You can either cancel online using our online form, or you can contact an Energy Advisor at energyadvisor@pse.com or at 1-800-562-1482, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

The carbon offsets for PSE's Carbon Balance program are sourced from the Winston Creek Forest Carbon Project in Lewis County, WA, and from the Bear Creek Watershed Forest Carbon Project in Clatsop County, OR. Winston Creek is an innovative forest management project, the largest forest carbon project on the voluntary market in Washington State. Bear Creek reduces the amount of harvested timber to each year to effectively store carbon and prevent the release of carbon dioxide that results from harvesting trees.

For more information, check PSE’s YouTube video on the Winston Creek project here.

Yes, your Carbon Balance purchase supports carbon reduction projects that wouldn't be financially viable without your participation in the program. These projects will offset the emissions related to your home's natural gas use, so that you can reduce your own carbon footprint. 

Purchasing carbon offsets is an effective and measurable way to counterbalance the carbon dioxide emissions you produce, from natural gas usage, and reduce your carbon footprint. When you sign up for Carbon Balance, PSE will purchase verified carbon offsets on your behalf from local forestry projects.

The carbon offsets you purchase negate greenhouse gases emitted by your home or business’ natural gas usage; each offset represents a reduction of one metric ton of carbon dioxide (CO2e) from the atmosphere.

Yes. PSE purchases carbon offsets that are verified by Climate Action Reserve. For more information, visit climateactionreserve.org.

No, PSE does not profit from the Carbon Balance program. Customers' Carbon Balance purchases are used to fund carbon offset programs, educate the public about carbon offset programs, and to administer the programs.

Each year, PSE will send you a report on your individual Carbon Balance participation and the related positive environmental impact.

Solar is a long-term investment. An experienced solar installer should be able to estimate what return on investment you can expect based on the size of your installation, sun exposure and other factors. If you’re looking to save money on your electricity bill immediately, there are other low and no-cost options. Learn more here.

If you’re not sure if you’re ready to install your own solar, but you’re still interested in supporting renewable energy, you may be eligible for one of our other renewable energy programs, like Green Power or Solar Choice, which do not require any equipment to install or maintain to participate.

If your property is heavily shaded, solar panels will take longer to pay off than in areas with unrestricted sun exposure. Solar panels perform best when facing south (east and west or a combination is OK, too) and are unshaded between 10 a.m. and 3p.m. year round. There are online resources that can help determine how much sun your property gets on average.

Your solar installation will be shaped by a variety of factors, including your budget, roof space and energy use. Installations are typically sized in kilowatts (kW), the power capacity of the system. An experienced installer should include in your bid the total project cost, the cost per kW and the expected annual energy output of the system based on analysis of your site. On average, 1 kW of solar power in the Puget Sound region can produce about 1,100 kilowatt hours (kWh) annually. Net metering lets you use the energy you generate to offset the cost of energy used from the grid at other times. Net metering does NOT provide any financial benefit to sizing a solar system to generate more energy than you use on an annual basis.

Consider other energy efficiency upgrades first. The lower your electric use, the smaller your investment in solar equipment needs to be to offset it. If you’re adding an electric vehicle or other large electrical appliance to your home in the near future, factor that into the sizing of your solar array. If you need to replace your electrical panel to accommodate solar, a qualified solar installer will review options and likely include it in their bid. If your roof isn’t fairly new, you might consider replacing it before installing solar. Once installed, solar panels should last more than 20 years, so any needed roof work should happen before installation.

Start by selecting an experienced installer. Through PSE Recommended Energy Professionals (REPs), you can find a reliable and qualified solar installer who can help determine if your home or business is ideal for solar. The solar installers in our REP network have high customer satisfaction rates and communicate in a timely manner. When considering solar, don’t feel pressured to sign anything before you fully understand the details and cost; be wary of aggressive sales and marketing tactics promising “free” or “no-cost” solar. We strongly recommend getting at least three bids on your solar project and checking references.

Yes, the Federal Investment Tax Credit may apply to your solar installation. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 increased the Investment Tax Credit from 26 percent to 30 percent for both business and residential projects. This includes systems installed in 2022 and will be available through the end of 2032. Find more information here.

Many solar installers can help you access financing through a local credit union or other financial institution and explain how that impacts the cost, benefits and estimated return on investment from your installation.

Through net metering, PSE keeps track of the energy you use and the amount of excess power your system generates. The renewable energy sent back to the grid is credited against your usage. You only pay for the net amount of energy that PSE provides, plus your basic monthly charge. If you produce more energy than you use within a given bill period, PSE banks the extra net metering credit. Your banked credit will automatically offset energy charges in future bill periods. Per state law, banked net metering credits expire March 31 of each year. This is why we do not recommend sizing your solar array to produce more electricity than you expect to use annually.

PSE is required by WA State Law to offer the current form of net metering until the state mandated threshold of participation is reached. Thanks to our net metering customers, we have nearly completed this requirement. We understand that customers may be concerned about changes away from our current net metering rate and program; and acknowledge the importance of planning ahead for energy management investments. PSE customers are still able to interconnect and apply to our net metering program under schedule 150. In the event of a new solar rate or tariff schedule being implemented to replace the current Net Metering program, we assure a minimum of 6 months' notice before we stop accepting applications under the current net metering program (Schedule 150).

Customers can still apply to our current net metering program under schedule 150. PSE will provide a minimum of 6 months’ notice to installers and customers before any changes are made. We will also share updates on our website to the net metering program, rate or tariff, or if we stop accepting applications to the current net metering program.

Customers who have submitted a complete application to the current program will be given additional time to complete the installation of their system, without being removed from the program.

Batteries add backup power. It is important to know that solar panels on their own cannot produce energy for your home during a grid outage. Solar Energy Systems disconnect automatically from the utility grid in the event of an outage to protect the safety of individuals and restoration crews. However, batteries installed along with solar can be charged from the grid or your solar panels and then can isolate from the grid during a power outage to provide power to some or all of the home's energy loads. The amount of time the batteries can power a home depends on the battery's size and the power used by the house.

Batteries do add to the cost of a system, so it is essential to consider how much value the backup power has to you. PSE is exploring ways to reduce the cost for customers to install a battery through either financial incentives or dynamic rate designs in exchange for customers allowing PSE to utilize a portion of the battery's stored capacity during peak events.

All PSE electric customers can enroll in Green Power and Solar Choice.

Please visit PSE's Renewable Energy home page to learn more about our Green Power and Solar Choice programs.

You can also contact a PSE Energy Advisor at energyadvisor@pse.com or call 1-800-562-1482, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Green Power includes two enrollment options for electric customers:

• Blocks: Purchase renewable energy in 200 kilowatt-hour (kWh) blocks for a fixed cost of $2 per block per month, with a minimum purchase of $4 per month.


• Usage: If you elect the usage option, your renewable energy purchase is based on your total monthly usage. The additional cost is $0.01 per kWh, or about $8 - $10 more per month for the average household (using 1,000 kWh/month).


• The environmental benefit of the renewable energy you purchase is equivalent to not driving approximately 20,212 miles a year (based on the EPA's Green Power Equivalency Calculator).

Customers purchase solar energy in 150 kilowatt-hour (kWh) blocks for a fixed cost of $5 per block per month. You can buy as many blocks as you'd like to match a portion or all your electricity usage to solar resources.

If you are a PSE electric customer and your address is not showing up in the online form, contact an Energy Advisor at energyadvisor@pse.com or at 1-800-562-1482, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Yes! Your enrollment increases the amount of power generated from renewable resources by:

• Reducing our region's dependence on fossil fuels
• Helping to build or buy a wider range of renewable energy sources in our region
• Supporting the local economy by helping to create green jobs right here in Washington and in the Pacific Northwest

Yes, you may cancel at any time. You can either cancel online using our online form, or you can contact an Energy Advisor at energyadvisor@pse.com or at 1-800-562-1482, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Green Power uses a blend of resource types including wind, solar, low-impact hydro, and landfill gas, while Solar Choice includes 100 percent solar electricity.


• Green Power costs $0.01/kWh while Solar Choice costs just over $0.033/kWh.


• While the price of solar has declined dramatically over the last 10 years, the resource mix in Green Power includes lower cost renewable options like wind energy.

Since PSE's prices are regulated by the Washington Utilities & Transportation Commission (WUTC), we are required to provide the lowest-cost electricity. The company's least-cost plan for power generation includes renewable energy, such as wind generation.

We're always looking to support great solar projects in Washington. If you know of a solar project that would be interested in becoming a program resource, please contact us at renewables@pse.com

PSE is exploring the possibility of developing a Community Solar offering, which would be centered around new, local resources in our service area. We are still in the early stages of development and design for this offering.

No, PSE does not profit from either of these programs. PSE uses the funds collected from the programs to purchase renewable energy on behalf of program participants, to educate our customers about the programs and to administer the programs.

The electricity generated from the renewable resources that you support is put into the Northwest power-supply grid along with electricity from all of our other resources. Much like water or natural gas, it isn't possible to differentiate the sources at the point of delivery.

By choosing Green Power or Solar Choice, you are matching up to 100 percent of your standard electric use with renewable energy, reducing our region’s dependence on fossil fuel generated electricity and increasing the proportion of renewable energy that is available to the entire system.

Yes, both programs are certified by Green-e, the nation's leading voluntary certification program for renewable energy. Green-e Energy audits certified programs annually to ensure that they meet the minimum environmental and consumer protection standards established by the non-profit Center for Resource Solutions.

For more information on Green-e Energy certification requirements, visit green-e.org

Yes, all across the United States, more than 750 utilities offer similar programs, including 16 programs in Washington State. PSE’s Green Power program is consistently ranked as one of the Top 10 Programs in the country by the Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

The Community Solar program is open to PSE electric customers who are billed monthly. Community Solar will also be available at no cost for a limited number of customers who meet certain income requirements based on household size.

• Visit the Community Solar program web page to review options.
• Click “enroll” to sign in to your online PSE account and choose an available site for your subscription.
• Calculate your subscription cost and estimated benefits for your selected site, then proceed to confirm your subscription details and submit to enroll.
• If you do not have an online PSE account or are having trouble with our online enrollment system, you can contact a PSE Energy Advisor at energyadvisor@pse.com or call 1-800-562-1482, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for assistance.

No. As we’ve partnered with communities and organizations across our service area to build multiple new, local solar energy installations, the solar panels will be installed on the rooftops of publicly owned buildings and other properties across our service area. As a result, you can share the benefits of 100% local solar energy without having to invest in and install a rooftop solar system on your own. Whether you own or rent, there’s no roof or equipment required to participate.

Please visit pse.com for detailed information on how the Community Solar program works.

Subscriptions are just $20 per month per share.

Customers automatically receive energy credits on their monthly PSE electricity bill for energy produced by their share of the solar site to offset a portion of the monthly subscription cost.

The credit amount will vary site to site and month to month based on the actual energy produced, but will likely not offset the entire monthly subscription cost.

One share of Community Solar is equal to 1.46kW of 100% local solar energy. You can subscribe to one or more shares in any available site. You will receive energy credits equal to $0.067 per kWh generated by the share(s) in your Community Solar subscription.

When you sign up for Community Solar, don’t expect to see your new energy credits immediately reflected on your next bill. Instead, it will typically take two billing cycles for you to see your Community Solar energy credits. That’s because credits are based on the actual energy generated by your Community Solar share(s) over the previous month.

No, it is unlikely that the credits will ever fully offset or be greater than the total subscription cost. The subscription cost to participate in Community Solar covers costs associated with building the new solar installation sites, as well as non-energy system costs, such as poles and wires that deliver the energy, and administration costs. The credit represents the energy costs associated with PSE’s standard energy portfolio that you are replacing with the solar energy generated by your shares.

Since PSE's rates are regulated by the Washington Utilities & Transportation Commission (WUTC), we are required to provide the lowest-cost electricity. The company's least-cost plan for power generation includes some renewable energy, such as wind generation. Given the relatively high costs of distributed solar and the relatively low solar production in our region, the cost to participate in Community Solar still comes at a small monthly premium.

There will be multiple new solar installation sites in the Community Solar program located on rooftops of publicly owned buildings and other properties across our service area, which covers both Western Washington and a portion of Eastern Washington. The solar installations range in size and kW capacity, and based on their geographic location and sun exposure, may generate more or less solar energy resulting in smaller or larger energy credits. Subscribers may choose any available site for their Community Solar subscription.

Customers may subscribe to a maximum of shares equal to 120% of their average monthly electricity usage over a 12-month period. Individual customers cannot subscribe to greater than 40% of a site’s total available shares.

A portion of shares from each solar installation will be available for income-eligible customers to participate in the Community Solar program and the growth of renewable energy at no cost. This will provide a pathway for income-eligible customers to share in the financial and environmental benefits of Community Solar.

• PSE has partnered with local communities and organizations to build multiple new solar energy installations located on rooftops of publicly owned buildings and other properties across our service area.
• Please visit our site selection page for more information about Community Solar sites and current availability.
• Additional sites located in Western Washington are currently under development and will be announced at a later date. As sites are constructed, subscriptions will become available for a limited number of shares per site.

Yes, PSE anticipates developing and subscribing multiple phases of the Community Solar program in the future to further expand access to solar for more customers.

Yes! The energy generated by your share reduces your carbon footprint by replacing some or all of your regular electricity use with renewable energy that is added to PSE’s power supply. Plus, Community Solar benefits everyone by furthering the development of more local renewable energy resources and collectively driving growth in PSE’s clean energy supply that otherwise would not be available without the support of subscribers.

• Subscriptions require a one-year minimum term. Early termination will result in a one-time cancellation fee of $20 per share.
• After a one-year term, you can cancel your subscription at any time, if desired.
• You can cancel your subscription by contacting an Energy Advisor at energyadvisor@pse.com or at 1-800-562-1482, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• If you move to a new location within PSE’s electric service area and notify PSE at least 30 days in advance, we will make our best attempt to transfer your Community Solar subscription to your new location.
• If you don’t notify PSE 30 days before you move, you may be withdrawn from the program and the termination fee, if applicable, will be waived.
• If you move outside of PSE’s electric service area, you will be withdrawn from the program at no cost and the termination fee will be waived.
• To move your Community Solar subscription to a new location, contact an Energy Advisor at 1-800-562-1482, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

• Community Solar is different from our other voluntary renewable energy programs like Green Power and Solar Choice in that the subscribers share the benefits of the solar energy installations that are hosted exclusively within the communities that PSE serves.
• The solar energy from Community Solar is 100% locally generated in PSE’s service area.
• Green Power and Solar Choice provide participants with Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), or environmental attributes, while Community Solar provides subscribers with RECs and replaces some or all of their regular electricity use with renewable energy added to the local power supply.

Yes, you can participate in any combination of voluntary renewable programs to maximize your support in the growth of renewable energy and further reduce your carbon footprint.

According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), there are at least 40 states with at least one community solar program. There are many utilities across the country that offer similar programs.

Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) is available to PSE gas customers – renters, homeowners or businesses – who want to further reduce their carbon footprint by replacing a portion of their conventional natural gas use with renewable natural gas.

Visit the Renewable Natural Gas program web page to review options for enrollment.

Sign up by choosing a block option to be added to your monthly bill, and cancel your participation in RNG at any time.

If you don’t have an online PSE account or are having trouble with our online enrollment system, you can contact a PSE Energy Advisor at energyadvisor@pse.com or call 1-800-562-1482, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for assistance.

Renewable Natural Gas offers any PSE gas customer the option to replace a portion of their natural gas use with renewable natural gas.

• The program is voluntary and enrollment is simple.
• You pay per block RNG, which are added to your monthly bill.
• There’s no equipment to install or maintain.
• You can combine participation in RNG with blocks of Carbon Balance to achieve 100% carbon neutral gas usage, or even go beyond net zero carbon emissions.
• Participating in RNG directly supports the development of locally produced renewable natural gas and drives growth in a cleaner energy supply.
• The renewable natural gas purchased by customers is added to PSE’s entire system. Customers can help accelerate the transition to a clean energy future by directly supporting the development of locally produced renewable natural gas.

One block of Renewable Natural Gas is $5 per month. You’ll receive a small credit on your bill of approximately $1.26 per RNG block for the commodity cost of the conventional natural gas that’s been replaced with renewable natural gas.

One block of Renewable Natural Gas is the equivalent of 3.083 therms of conventional natural gas, or about 4% of the average residential customer’s monthly natural gas use.

Renewable natural gas costs more to deliver because it is typically produced at single, smaller locations, using more complicated processing techniques, and requiring the transport of the gas to the main distribution system through smaller pipelines. Conventional natural gas is produced at multiple wells feeding a centralized processing facility and utilizing pipelines with larger volumes.

Currently, PSE gas customers may purchase up to three blocks of Renewable Natural Gas when they enroll online at PSE.com. Customers interested in purchasing more than three blocks can contact a PSE Energy Advisor at 1-800-562-1482 for assistance.

Yes! The renewable natural gas purchased by customers is added to PSE’s entire system. You can help accelerate the transition to a clean energy future by directly supporting the development of locally produced renewable natural gas.

You can cancel your participation in the Renewable Natural Gas program at any time by logging in to your PSE account online, or contacting a PSE Energy Advisor for assistance.

Yes! By combining participating in the Renewable Natural Gas program with participation in Carbon Balance, you can achieve 100% carbon neutral natural gas – or even go beyond net zero carbon emissions.

Renewable natural gas is created when the decomposition of plant and animal material at solid waste landfills, water treatment plants, livestock farms, food production facilities and more produces a biogas primarily composed of methane. This biogas is then upgraded to pipeline quality for use in place of fossil natural gas.

Our renewable natural gas is produced by Klickitat Public Utility District at the H.W. Hill Renewable Natural Gas facility in Roosevelt, Wash. At a typical landfill, methane is collected, flared and released into the atmosphere as CO2. Instead, to make renewable natural gas, it is drawn from a Republic Services landfill, upgraded to pipeline quality, and transported to PSE’s system.

Carbon Balance customers offset their use of conventional natural gas by financially supporting projects in the Pacific Northwest that remove or prevent an equivalent amount of CO2 from impacting the environment. Renewable Natural Gas customers replace a portion of their conventional natural gas use with renewable natural gas added to PSE’s entire system.

The Renewable Natural Gas program can make meaningful decarbonization contributions because it results in a net reduction in carbon emissions and replaces fossil fuel use. RNG is a key part of PSE’s proposed pathway to reducing carbon emissions to net zero by 2045 and helping PSE achieve its aspirational goal of becoming a Beyond Net Zero Carbon energy company by 2045.

• Position your organization as a forward-thinking leader in sustainability and renewable energy.
• Facilitate the transition to more clean energy in our area through the development of local solar arrays and/or storage batteries.
• Help meet community or organizational sustainability goals and provide community members with an opportunity to reduce their carbon footprint.
• Receive yearly compensation for PSE’s use of your property.

• Site hosts receive compensation for the use of their property in the form of yearly lease payments. Lease amounts are determined by a third-party appraisal based on square footage of space used for the project..
• Site hosts will also receive one-time payments for interconnection and temporary construction easements. These amounts are also determined by a third-party appraiser.

• PSE currently accepts applications from public and private entities to host solar energy and/or battery storage projects.
• Either rooftop or ground mount sites (or even a combination of the two).
• An ideal site should have the following criteria:
  • 20,000 square feet (minimum of 10,000 square feet) - rooftop or ground - available for an installation
    • Smaller sites may be accepted after an official review
  • For solar, a southern exposure that is unshaded for the majority of daylight hours (free of walls, trees, buildings, poles and other obstructions)
  • Roofs with a minimum of 25 years of usable life remaining and with structural integrity
  • Easily connectable to PSE’s grid infrastructure - should be within 300 feet of PSE’s distribution system infrastructure such as utility transformer, pole, vault, etc., that provides 3 phase electricity

• PSE will own and be responsible for all maintenance and operations of the project over the duration of the lease.
• PSE will require 24/7/365 access to meters and other equipment, especially during a power outage.

• While there is no financial investment required from site hosts, there will be an investment of time and people resources needed to build the project, including site visits, lease and easement negotiations, and construction coordination.

• A typical lease lasts 15-20 years. PSE will work with the site host to develop a contract that meets the needs of all parties.
• Solar arrays have a useful lifespan of about 25 years. PSE will prioritize sites with a usable life that aligns with the solar array's life.

• PSE’s new online site application provides a centralized place for public and private entities to apply to host an energy project.
• Eligibility criteria is listed on the web page.

• Yes, PSE continues to hear from communities about potential ground or roof sites that they believe would make good locations to host an energy-related project and want to make it easier to partner with us.

• PSE is seeking at least 80 MWs and 25 MWs of distributed solar and storage, respectively, by the end of 2025 to fulfill the Clean Energy Transformation Act (“CETA”) compliance requirements.
• Site solicitation and selection will be ongoing as PSE works to meet the proposed targets identified in the Clean Energy Implementation Plan (“CEIP”) and growing demand for more Distributed Energy Resource (DER) solutions in our service area.

• There is no application fee for potential site hosts.

• To help with evaluating sites, the following documents are optional for submission with the application form:
  • Electrical site plans
  • structural site design
  • property boundary survey
  • current property title insurance company report
  • site construction specifications (if available)
  • geotechnical study and environmental report (ground mount installations only)

• The applicant will immediately receive a confirmation number for their submission and an email explaining that a program manager will contact them within two weeks.
• The program manager will review the application form for completeness and accuracy.
• Once the site has been confirmed and meets site requirements for application submittal, the site will move into an internal desktop review which starts the evaluation stages.

• In previous phases, PSE released a Request for Information (RFI) to acquire and evaluate new sites. With this new site application process, the evaluation criteria will remain the same.
• The evaluation will include a review of the following items but is not limited to:
  • Size/type of solar resource potential (combination)
  • Customer/community alignment (e.g., visibility)
  • Cost/benefit to grid (distance from grid, on summer-peaking circuit)
  • Solar production (shading, azimuth, sq. ft., expected production, etc.)
  • Ground vs. roof
  • Roof suitability (age, material)
  • Ownership (length of ownership and future plans for the site)
  • Presence of zoning/permitting issues
  • Project cost
  • Site access

• PSE will notify applicants whose sites are not selected.

• The application form and intake process will continuously evolve to meet our growing demand for Distributed Energy Resource (DER) solutions.
• As other DER programs begin to be developed, the application form will be updated to incorporate other program requirements for sites.
• If you would like to host an energy project, we are soliciting general interest and site details from property/landowners and other entities for future opportunities. Click here to apply.