Solar Panels for Low Income Communities

WA - Yakima and Ellensburg are among 9 areas in Washington that will receive solar power for low-income neighborhoods.

This comes as part of a plan by the Department of Commerce's Energy Division to get the whole state on a clean grid by 2045. They started with the low income areas, recognizing that they often pay a disproportionate amount for their energy.

"Folks are paying up to 15% of their household income on energy bills. Those folks are often put in a position of having to make a choice, whether they want to heat their homes, or buy food to eat, or heat their homes. No one should have to make that choice," says Michael Furze with the Department of Commerce's Energy Division.

They hope to start getting the solar panels in place by the end of this year. You can find a full list of the communities getting the solar panels here.