On September 29, 2017, Seattle City Light announced $1 million in community Green Up grants. The program supports renewable energy development and educational programs.
Thanks to the generous contributions of Seattle City Light customers, seven local organizations will receive Green Up grants totaling nearly $1 million to support renewable energy projects and education. The seven organizations will use the grants to help install solar panels at 14 public school, affordable housing, and community-based locations.
“Over 13,000 generous community members are investing in a clean, sustainable energy future by sending a few dollars each month to purchase renewable energy credits through our Green Up program,” said City Light Customer Energy Solutions Director Craig Smith. “City Light is proud to be the steward of this grant and part of the community partnership that will benefit our schools, affordable housing, parks, and hospitals.”
Grant recipients are:
- Seattle Public Schools – $150,000 for solar installations at Bailey Gatzert Elementary, Ballard High School, Denny International Middle School, South Shore K-8 School, Hazel Wolf K-8 ESTEM School and Arbor Heights Elementary
- King County Parks — $119,014 for a solar installation at the Steve Cox Community Center
- Seattle Parks — $50,000 for a solar installation at the Brig at Magnuson Park
- Seattle Colleges — $200,000 for a solar installation at Seattle Central College
- Harborview Medical Center — $50,000 for a solar installation at the hospital
- Capitol Hill Housing – three grants totaling $225,000 for solar installations at three affordable housing complexes – the Elizabeth James House, Ponderosa Apartments and El Nor Apartments
- Pacific Science Center — $164,851 for a solar installation at the center
“We will soon be able to power the White Center community center and the adjacent basketball court using only clean, renewable energy,” King County Executive Dow Constantine said. “Our partnership with Seattle City Light will accelerate the work we are doing to transform Steve Cox Memorial Park into a model for sustainable operations.”
“Seattle Public Schools’ goal is to optimize energy conservation through cost-effective practices. We are grateful for the Seattle community members who contribute to Green Up and to Seattle City Light for this grant of $150,000. It will help us fund an energy efficiency project utilizing solar technology at six of our schools,” said Flip Herndon, Seattle Public Schools’ associate superintendent of capital, facilities and operations.
“We are thrilled to receive a Green Up grant award from Seattle City Light. With this award, Pacific Science Center will be installing a rooftop solar panel array, not only to make our campus more energy efficient, but also to create hands-on guest experiences focused on renewable energy,” said Chris Wheaton, Chief Operating & Financial Officer of Pacific Science Center. “We’re looking forward to introducing our community to a real-word application of clean tech innovation, enabled by Seattle City Light’s generosity and leadership.”
“This grant will allow us reduce the operating costs of our buildings and serve more low-income families and individuals. It’s a great way to keep renewable energy credits local and ensures that the beneficiaries are local residents who need it the most,” said McCaela Daffern, Capitol Hill Housing sustainability manager.
ABOUT GREEN UP
Green Up is a voluntary program that allows City Light customers to support renewable energy development and education by donating an extra $3 or more on their utility bills. Green Up funds are used to purchase renewable energy credits, and remaining contributions are used to pay for projects such as Sonic Bloom at Pacific Science Center and solar installations on three residence halls at the University of Washington. The program has expanded to provide direct grant funding for solar or other renewable energy installations and education projects in Seattle City Light’s service territory. To learn more, visit: http://www.seattle.gov/light/Greenup/
Interested in contributing to Green Up? Sign up here: http://www.seattle.gov/light/Greenup/for-home.asp
Solar and innovation grants of up to $200,000 were awarded for renewable energy installations by public, nonprofit or educational organizations with a system size of less than 100 kilowatts. Projects must be connected to City Light’s distribution grid and equipped with a monitoring system. Education grants of up to $5,000 support projects that have a focus on educating students about renewable energy, such as curriculum development, research, extracurricular activities, supplies and teacher training.