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

Click here to see our Carbon Balance webpage, and click “Sign up your home.” You will be prompted to sign in to your online PSE account, then enroll.

You can also sign in to your online PSE account and click on “view my account.” Select “My settings.”

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 offset blocks for $3 each. With each block representing the reduction of greenhouse gases equal to 400 pounds of carbon dioxide. The average customer can be carbon neutral for as little as $6 per month. 

Some addresses are challenging for our online system. Contact an Energy Advisor at energyadvisor@pse.com or at 1-800-562-1482, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

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 JR Simplot Methane Capture Project in Moses Lake, WA. Winston Creek is an innovative forest management project, the largest forest carbon project on the voluntary market in Washington State. The Simplot Farm captures methane at their facility that had previously been released freely into the atmosphere from an open anaerobic lagoon.

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. 

Carbon offsets are created with the destruction or reduction of harmful greenhouse gases emitted from sources such as fossil fuels, animal waste, landfills or industrial gases.

One carbon offset block represents the reduction of greenhouse gases equivalent to one metric ton of carbon dioxide (CO2e).

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

No. All customer purchases are used to support individual projects, through the purchase of carbon offsets to help educate the public about greenhouse gas reductions, and to administer the program.

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

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

Click here to see our Renewable Energy programs webpage, and click “Sign up your home.” You will then be prompted to sign in to your online PSE account.

Sign in to your online PSE account and click on “view my account.” Select “my settings.”

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.

Some addresses are challenging for our online system. 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! By increasing the amount of power generated from renewable resources you:

• Reduce the region's dependence on fossil fuels

• Help to build or buy a wider range of renewable energy sources in our region

• Raise community awareness about the benefits of renewable energy so that it becomes readily available at a lower cost

• Support 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, landfill gas and livestock methane from Washington, Oregon and Idaho, while Solar Choice includes 100 percent solar electricity from Washington and Idaho.


• 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.

Community Solar offers PSE electric customers, including renters, homeowners and businesses, the opportunity to choose 100% locally generated solar energy by subscribing to shares in a new solar site of their choice.

• The program is voluntary and enrollment is simple.
• You can subscribe to shares in one or more available sites, up to 120% of your average electricity usage.
• Subscriptions are just $20 per month per share automatically added to your regular electricity bill.
• Subscriptions require a one-year minimum term. Early termination may result in a one-time cancellation fee of $20 per share.
• The energy generated by your share(s) offsets a portion of the monthly subscription fee as an energy credit on your bill.
• Monthly energy credits will vary based on real-time production of the solar energy sites — credits may be higher in the summer than winter and may vary by site based on location.
• You can keep your shares for the life of the program, estimated to be up to 15 years or more.
• After a one-year term, you can cancel your subscription at any time, if desired.

Subscriptions are just $20 per month per share. Customers automatically receive energy credits on their PSE monthly electricity bill for the portion of energy their share of the solar site produces to offset a portion of the monthly subscription cost. The amount of the credits will vary site to site based on the actual solar energy the site produces, 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 $0.045 per kWh generated by the share(s) in your Community Solar subscription.

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.

Customer may subscribe to shares equal to up to 120% of their average monthly electricity use as determined over a 12-month period. No customer may 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.
• There are currently two sites available for subscription: Kittitas Community Solar and Olympia High School Community Solar. Please visit the site selection page for more information about these 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.