Puget Sound Energy outlines Green Power challenge to Sammamish Sustainability Commission

Puget Sound Energy staff on Monday briefed the Sammamish Sustainability Commission on the company’s Green Power Challenge and related voluntary renewable-energy programs, saying the city campaign seeks 100 new enrollments and includes outreach, monthly reporting and a $10,000 award to support a local solar project if the goal is reached.

Leslie Myers, who oversees voluntary renewable programs at Puget Sound Energy, told the commission the campaign counts enrollments at any price tier and that “the entry point is $4” a month for Green Power participation. She described renewable energy certificates (RECs) as the accounting mechanism used to claim renewable generation: “a renewable energy certificate…is basically like a receipt that matches every megawatt hour of the electrons with a proof that this energy was generated from a specific power source and fed out on the grid,” Myers said.

Myers said the Sammamish campaign was at about 24 percent of the 100-enrollment goal in the February snapshot and that PSE will provide monthly progress updates. For the city incentive, she said: “for 100 new enrollments, we are offering a $10,000 for solar at a to-be-determined location with the city.” Matt Larsen, PSE’s local government affairs manager for East King County, joined the presentation and answered technical questions about purchases and market sourcing.

Commissioners pressed on two recurring topics: whether purchased renewable energy physically reaches local customers and how the program differs from community solar. PSE clarified that RECs allow customers to make the environmental claim without guaranteeing the identical electrons flow to a specific home, and that community solar differs by linking subscribers to a specific array and bill credits. On community solar shares, Myers told the commission “those are $20 a share, and then you get a credit on your bill for the energy that’s generated by your share the previous month,” and noted a portion of community solar capacity has a no‑cost option for income‑eligible customers.

PSE also reviewed program scale and grants: Myers said Green Power customers purchased 636,000 megawatt-hours last year across PSE’s voluntary programs and that leftover funds supported roughly $925,000 in solar grants for nonprofits, affordable-housing providers and tribal entities. Commissioners and PSE staff discussed outreach tactics (a one‑cent-per-kWh messaging point and a planned Earth Day presence) and requested a PSE FAQ and a one‑page talking sheet to use at city events.

Rose, the city’s sustainability coordinator, said the city has enrolled all municipal facilities in Green Power and will use the PSE reports to update residents: “We were enrolled at the product minimum prior. We are now fully enrolled. All of our city facilities, all of our kilowatt hours are matched by green power,” she said.

Next steps: PSE will provide the commission with the monthly report and tabling materials for Earth Day; the commission agreed to use PSE’s co‑branded materials and the city’s outreach channels to promote the challenge. After the presentation the commission moved on to leadership nominations.