Spark Northwest accelerates the shift to clean energy one community at a time. Our programs make affordable, locally-controlled clean energy more accessible for all.

Legislative Priorities 2023

We focus our policy advocacy to ensure clean energy benefits reach BIPOC, rural and low-wealth communities. Below are our top legislative priorities for 2023. 

Affordable and accessible solar (Washington) 

Having rooftop solar saves money on energy bills, yet many Washingtonians can’t afford the upfront costs. Renters and folks with low to moderate wealth have been excluded from the financial benefits of solar. Furthermore, a key incentive called net metering, which makes solar financially beneficial, may soon expire.  

During Washington’s 2023 session we will advocate to extend net metering laws so that more people can share the benefits of solar.  

Read about HB 1427 The Solar Energy Resiliency Act

Home energy efficiency (Washington) 

Improving home insulation and switching to electric heat pumps for heating and cooling is good for our health, the climate, and our wallets. But like solar, the benefits of home energy efficiency have not reached everyone. For many renters and those who cannot afford the upfront costs of home upgrades, the benefits of energy efficiency are inaccessible.  

In Washington we will advocate for state funding to ensure health and financial benefits of home energy efficiency reach BIPOC, rural and low-wealth communities. 

Resilience Hubs and Building Electrification (Oregon) 

Leaders from climate-impacted communities are bringing forward legislation that will empower communities across Oregon to build community resource centers known as resilience hubs. The resilience hubs will include solar energy generation and storage to ensure that electricity is available through extreme weather events and sustained power outages. 

During Oregon’s 2023 session we will support legislation to help communities across the state design and plan resilience hubs based on community-defined needs. Learn more about Community Resilience Hubs

Spark Northwest is advocating for building electrification and weatherization in Oregon with a Building Resilience Coalition. Read about the Building Resilience coalition here.

Equitable distribution of Federal funds (Oregon & Washington) 

Landmark federal legislation including the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and 2022 Inflation Reduction Act will provide a surge of funding for clean energy and efficiency projects. We are committed to ensuring that BIPOC, rural and low-wealth communities receive easy access to the economic and health benefits of the newly enacted laws. 

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