Washington Island Church Goes Solar Thanks to New Credits for Nonprofits

On Vashon Island in Washington State, across from Seattle, the Vashon United Methodist Church (UMC) recently received elective pay (a.k.a. direct pay) funds in lieu of federal clean energy tax credits for its installed solar and battery storage devices. This helped cover about a third of the costs of the installation, with the other two-thirds covered by a $130,000 Washington State Department of Commerce Solar plus Storage for Resilient Communities program grant that Vashon UMC won back in September 2023. The federal credit and state grant helped the church install 30 kilowatts (kW) of solar panels and six battery storage devices in two church-owned buildings.

The Solar plus Storage for Resilient Communities program helps community centers, schools, and houses of worship—like the Vashon church—install solar and battery storage devices to increase the resilience of disadvantaged communities, particularly in rural and remote areas, which face significant risks when the power goes out. Because Vashon UMC is located on an island in Puget Sound and is only accessible by ferry, it qualified as a remote and rural community for the Washington State grant. As a Solar plus Storage grant recipient, Vashon UMC must be open for the community at least two hours daily, particularly in the winter.

In 2024, using the Solar plus Storage grant and a bridge loan, the church installed solar and battery storage devices for its parsonage and education buildings. These systems will help the church provide backup power generation and emergency shelter for vulnerable local populations when they lose power due to extreme weather events. The grant helped the church pay for the upfront costs of the solar panels and battery storage until it received the 30% base elective pay federal incentive for clean energy. Both solar panels and batteries are eligible for elective pay.