Community Solar Expansion Program

Application Timeline

From initial inquiry to receiving incentives from your utility, the application time can vary significantly from project to project. Please see below for guidance on time requirements for each step in the process.

Application Stages

Project Inquiry

The initial stage is for the Project Administrator to present a brief description of the potential project, themselves, and how the benefits will be distributed to qualified subscribers on a continuing basis over the length of the reporting period. Qualified subscribers are defined as those who are at or below either 200% of the Federal Poverty Level or 80% Area Median Income (AMI). You can submit an inquiry here. Community Solar Expansion Program (CSEP) staff will work to provide feedback within 10 business days. If the potential project meets program requirements, a precertification application will be provided.

Precertification

Potential projects can be submitted for precertification from July 1st, 2022, through June 30th, 2033. The Administrator submits a full description of the project including solar system design documentation and a demonstration of how the project will deliver continuing direct benefits to low-income subscribers or recipients. The CSEP team will work to provide a potential project with an acknowledgment of precertification within 30 business days of submission. Precertified projects receive an incentive reservation and must be completed usually within 2 years.

The precertification application requires the specific precertification form, issued by the WSU Energy Program after an inquiry approval, alongside four other documents to be submitted including a Project Prospectus, Utility Interconnection Agreement or equivalent, a One-Line Diagram, and Site Plan.

1. The Project Prospectus is a narrative about the Administrator, other relevant parties, and describes how benefits will be passed on during the length of the reporting period (i.e., 10 years) to qualified low-income recipients.
2. The Utility Interconnection Agreement or equivalent document indicates that the utility servicing the site is aware of the project and verifies that the project can be interconnected to the grid.
3. The One-Line Diagram provides a simplified electrical schematic of the solar system and is typically provided by the solar developer or installer.
4. The Site Plan is a visual representation of the solar system layout on the property to ensure that the system is sited reasonably. If applicable: A Construction Timeline provides basic forecast on when the project will begin construction, when it will be completed, and other important benchmarks.

Any changes to the approved project must be communicated to the CSEP team as soon as possible. Administrators must provide a project update after 1 year in precertification status.

Precertification status, at the end of 2 years, can be extended by 180 days if significant progress towards completion of the solar system can be demonstrated.

Project Certification

The application for certification provides assurance that the system was installed as documented, and all necessary agreements are in place. Documentation includes final electrical inspection, project administration costs, total project costs, qualifying subscriber count, a signed agreement on benefit determination and distribution, and finalized system installation data.

Within 30 days of receipt of the certification application, the CSEP team may approve the project. If certification is granted, the utility will be notified at the same time and will provide the incentive payment to the Administrator within 60 days. Completed projects can be certificated for incentive payment until June 30th, 2035.

Annual Project Update

For 10 years after certification, the Administrator must provide the CSEP team with signed statements regarding basic information about the project’s performance in the previous year by March 1st. Performance metrics include energy production, units of the system provided to subscribers, and date and amount disbursed to each subscriber. Annual updates can be sent to our e-mail, csep@energy.wsu.edu.

Program & Project Timeline

Please see below for a general timeline of when actions can be taken in the program.

1. Potential projects can be submitted for precertification and incentive reservations from July 1st, 2022, through June 30th, 2033. Projects have 2 years to be completed, with a potential 180-day extension if significant progress can be demonstrated.
2. Completed projects can be certificated for incentive payment until June 30th, 2035.
3. A Utility's right to earn a tax credit for delivered incentives payments, under this program, expires June 30, 2036 and must be claimed by June 30, 2037.
4. CSEP staff will provide on its website a monthly report starting January 1st 2023 until end of the Program by utility, of the number of certifications, forecasted unallocated funds available in the state.