In this edition of Local Energy Rules, John Farrell and Wade Underwood speak with Bill Moyer of the Backbone Campaign about a nascent community solar project in Vashon, WA. We ask Bill about his involvement with the project as a community organizer—delving into the frustrating regulatory barriers that have kept the project from coming to fruition, and working towards a more accurate definition of community solar.
The project was motivated by a generous production incentive offered in Washington State for solar projects installed on public property. Bill and residents of King County hoped to keep more energy dollars in the local economy by using this incentive to create a community solar project.
But it wasn’t smooth sailing.
In trying to bring the project to fruition, Bill ran into many limitations of the state incentive program. Bill notes, “People’s eyes glazed over” with confusion as he tried to explain all the regulations standing between them and local community solar. Among
