Commerce energizes communities with $41.1 million in Clean Energy Community Grant awards

Commerce made awards to 49 projects in 22 counties across Washington

OLYMPIA, Wash. – The Washington State Department of Commerce delivered $41.1 million to 49 Clean Energy Community Grants awards in 22 counties this year. The grants will support projects such as rooftop solar, battery storage, decarbonization efforts, electric vehicle (EV) charging, and feasibility studies.

The awards were made this spring and summer, and many awardees now have their projects under contract. The funding aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while delivering meaningful benefits to tribes, overburdened communities and vulnerable populations in Washington. They were funded by the Climate Commitment Act (CCA).

“As the Trump Administration steps back from our clean energy economy, we’re stepping up,” said Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson. “Washington will continue to be a leader in making investments in the future. We’re supporting clean energy, good-paying jobs and community resiliency.”

By reducing their carbon emissions, awardees may also be able to invest more resources in the communities they serve. That’s the hope for the Latino Educational Training Institute, which received $50,000 for a solar and battery storage feasibility study at its community center in Everett during the second round of awards.

“This project will help LETI’s mission to build a sustainable, resilient community hub that supports immigrant wealth-building, job creation, and opportunity in South Everett’s Latino community,” said Marisol Bejarano, LETI’s director of health and wellness programs. “It’s a step toward long-term economic empowerment, environmental sustainability, and a more equitable future for our community.”

It also means cost savings, as is anticipated in the Easton School District in Kittitas County. Easton School District Superintendent Aaron Kombol said the $411,000 awarded for a solar array will save the district an estimated 15-20% on its electrical needs. The savings will let them reinvest in the district’s students.

“We are very excited to have been awarded this grant,” Kombol said. “Not only will the district be able to reduce its ongoing utility bills, but we will also be able to incorporate solar panel system technology into our STEM classes.” The array will allow them to maximize utility cost savings and use those savings to offer more opportunities for students, he said.  

Commerce awards CCA funding based on the state’s commitment to helping communities improve their resilience, reduce carbon emissions, and increase equitable access to clean technology. It was administered through Commerce’s Clean Energy Community Grant program. The first round was announced last spring, while the final awards were made in the spring and summer.

“We’re putting this money back into communities who need it,” said Commerce Director Joe Nguyễn. “Our goal is to reduce carbon emissions, and the people who know best how to do that are the people receiving these critical investments.”

Full awards list (Round 2 awards are bolded):

1. St. Barnabas Episcopal Church of Bainbridge Island (Bainbridge Island): $161,896 for rooftop solar, supporting the church’s role as a community emergency shelter and warming center. (Round 2)
2. Housing Resources Bainbridge (Bainbridge Island): $148,600 for rooftop solar for Ericksen Community, an affordable housing complex.
3. Bethany Lutheran Church (Bainbridge Island): $213,750 for rooftop solar and battery backup for a Community Resilience Center.
4. Institute for Washington’s Future (Bellingham): $213,500 for a gasifier feasibility study for a Business Innovation Center. (Round 2)
5. Whatcom Conservation District (Bellingham): $70,176 for a solar, EV charging, and building decarbonization feasibility study. (Round 2)
6. Opportunity Council (Bellingham): $345,980 for rooftop solar for the Cornwall Community Resource Center.
7. Bellingham Technical College (Bellingham): $683,945, for a rooftop solar project.
8. Port of Longview (Cowlitz County): $450,000 for POLER – Port of Longview’s Electrification Roadmap Project.
9. OPAL Community Land Trust (Eastsound): $127,445 to support a solar project at Cottages at Pea Patch, an affordable housing development on Orcas Island.
10. Latino Educational Training Institute (Everett): $50,000 for a solar and battery storage feasibility study for the LETI community center. (Round 2)
11. Housing Authority of the City of Everett (Everett): $3 million for rooftop solar and heat pumps for Ben Young Senior Housing.
12. Everett Community College (Everett): $530,134 for a rooftop solar project at Shuksan Hall.
13. Multi-Service Center (Federal Way): $104,650 to plan and design solar plus battery storage for housing assistance and food bank programs.
14. San Juan Community Home Trust (Friday Harbor): $108,393 for rooftop solar for Holliwalk, an affordable housing site.
15. Klickitat Valley Health (Goldendale): $3 million for a ground source heat pump for Goldendale Hospital.
16. City of Issaquah (Issaquah): $1,712,984 to support solar plus battery backup for Issaquah Senior Center.
17. City of Kenmore (Kenmore): $98,160 for rooftop solar expansion at Kenmore City Hall. (Round 2)
18. Seattle Public Schools (King County): $1,131,959 for a solar array to support Van Asselt Elementary School. (Round 2)
19. Homestead Community Land Trust (King County): $74,950 for the Electrify Homestead planning project, to evaluate electrification, weatherization and decarbonization options for low-income homeowners.
20. Easton School District (Kittitas County): $411,000 for a solar array for Easton School District. (Round 2)
21. Kittitas County Chamber of Commerce (Kittitas County): $122,580 for a rooftop solar project to reduce energy costs for Kittitas County.
22. Swinomish Indian Tribal Community (La Conner): $1,356,392 for solar plus storage to provide uninterrupted power to the IT/Medical Clinic.
23. La Conner School District (La Conner): $1,901,450 for La Conner Elementary School solar plus battery backup.
24. The Wenatchee River Institute (Leavenworth): $156,300 for rooftop solar and battery backup for Red Barn community resilience project.
25. Housing Lopez (Lopez Island): $129,315 for rooftop solar for Lopez Village, an affordable housing village serving low-income residents of Lopez Island.
26. Edmonds School District (Lynnwood): $285,000 for a Lynnwood Elementary rooftop solar project.
27. Jamie’s Place (Methow Valley Family Home Center Association)
28. Mukilteo School District (Mukilteo): $1,214,766 for rooftop solar arrays to support Aces High School and Challenger Elementary. (Round 2)
29. Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation (Oakville): $1 million for the planning and design of a large-scale solar farm for increased resiliency and reduced energy burden.
30. Oakville School District #400 (Oakville): $91,770 to support solar plus battery storage for high school and middle school campuses.
31. Thurston County Commissioners Office (Olympia): $1,389,069 for solar and battery storage for Thurston County Public Health and Social Services headquarters.
32. King County (Seattle): $784,364 for a hospital building decarbonization feasibility study to support King County First Hill Campus decarbonization. (Round 2)
33. Neighborhood House, Incorporated (Seattle): $85,500 for a solar and battery storage feasibility study supporting a South Seattle resilience hub. (Round 2)
34. Blaine Memorial United Methodist Church (Seattle): $1,120,790 for solar plus battery storage for a community resilience hub.
35. Puget Sound Energy (Snoqualmie, Tumwater): $612,150 for an electric school bus demonstration project benefitting Olympia School District and Snoqualmie Valley School District.
36. Tessera (Spokane): $2,366,383 for a microgrid for a wildfire resilience and workforce development project.
37. City of Spokane (Spokane): $2,806,700 for solar, battery backup, and electric vehicle charging stations at the Spokane Water Department.
38. Yakima Chief Hops (Sunnyside): $1,856,888 for a CO2 recovery plant that will capture and repurpose carbon dioxide during the hop production process.
39. Orange Grove Foundation (Tacoma): $135,993 for a solar microgrid and a heat pump for a substance recovery residence.
40. Thorp School District (Thorp): $488,684 for solar installation at Thorp Elementary School.
41. Tukwila School District (Tukwila): $1,700,155 for grid-tied solar at Showalter Middle School.
42. Tukwila School District (Tukwila): $2.5 million for solar plus battery storage for Tukwila Elementary School.
43. The Tulalip Tribes (Tulalip): $2,350,000 for solar plus battery storage for the Betty J. Taylor Early Learning Academy, part of the Tulalip resiliency hub.
44. Vancouver First United Methodist Church (Vancouver): $264,300 for a rooftop solar and battery storage project at Vancouver First United Methodist Church. (Round 2)
45. The Board of Trustees of Whitman College (Walla Walla): $587,720 for rooftop solar at College Creek Village.
46. Washington State Department of Ecology (Wenatchee): $188,500 for the planning and design of large-scale brownfield solar on the former Lovitt Mine site.
47. Okanogan County Electric Cooperative (Winthrop): $2.75 million for large-scale battery storage, reducing energy burden for rural residents.
48. Methow Conservancy (Winthrop): $52,300 to plan and design a microgrid solar plus battery backup project for an affordable housing neighborhood.
49. Yakima Neighborhood Health Services (Yakima): $129,469 for solar plus battery storage for Vecino Apartments, a supportive housing facility for homeless families and young adults with disabilities.