SolTerra

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SolTerra Washington's only solely woman-owned solar company. Voted a 2026 Best in PNW Winner.

Since 2008, Solterra Solar has helped thousands of homeowners take control of their energy, save thousands on electricity costs, and power good in their communities. SolTerra is on a mission to prove sustainable living is within reach for everyone. We design and build sustainable, mixed-use, LEED Platinum apartments – and are one of the largest installers of solar energy systems, living walls and green roofs in the Pacific Northwest. We create beautiful buildings to reconnect people to nature, build strong communities and make a positive impact on the earth.

10/12/2026

Thanks to Solar Washington for hosting another great Solar Summit! Our team left with one clear takeaway: Washington needs more energy, and solar must be part of the solution.

Here’s what stood out:

• Electricity demand is projected to more than double. The AI boom and data center expansion are driving unprecedented growth, and we need a plan to meet that demand affordably and reliably.

• Hydropower alone can’t carry us forward. Climate change and declining snowpack are putting pressure on the water resources our state has long relied on. We need to diversify our energy mix.

• Solar + storage is the future. Generating and storing more power locally can help meet demand, strengthen grid resilience, and give homeowners more control over rising energy costs.

• Net metering is at a turning point. As Washington considers what comes next for 1:1 net metering, science-backed policies that recognize the full value of customer-owned solar and storage will be critical to getting it right.

With rising electricity costs, uncertainty around future demand, and a changing climate, Washington needs to move faster on clean energy. Residential rooftop solar is part of the answer.

Want more control over your energy costs? Get a free solar quote from Solterra Solar: https://solar.solterra.com/quote/.

10/09/2026

☀️ Big thank you to Washington Solar Energy Industries Association for hosting another energizing Solar Harvest Festival! We're proud to part of this community of partners moving clean energy forward in Washington. Here’s to powering a brighter future, together! 🌱⚡

10/06/2026

Thanks to you, Solterra Solar is officially a Seattle Times 2026 Best in the PNW winner! 🥈

We’re honored to have won Silver in the Solar Energy Company category.

Best in the PNW is a community-driven recognition of exceptional businesses across the Pacific Northwest. That’s why this award means so much to us: because you, our community, voted for it.

Thank you for choosing Solterra, supporting our mission, and powering good with us since 2008. 🤝 💛 ☀️

Read the story: https://solar.solterra.com/2026-best-in-pnw-winner/.

10/06/2026

Thanks to you, Solterra Solar is officially a The Seattle Times 2026 Best in the PNW winner! 🥈

We’re honored to have won Silver in the Solar Energy Company category.

Best in the PNW is a community-driven recognition of exceptional businesses across the Pacific Northwest. That’s why this award means so much to us: because you, our community, voted for it.

Thank you for choosing Solterra, supporting our mission, and powering good with us since 2008. 🤝 💛 ☀️

Read the story: https://solar.solterra.com/2026-best-in-pnw-winner/.

09/14/2026

Alki Elementary students started school this year in a brand new building powered by solar installed by Solterra Solar.

In addition to solar, the school is also powered by both geothermal and the grid. Instead of keeping the clean energy systems a mystery behind the walls, educational murals throughout the school invite students to learn how their classrooms are lit, warmed, and cooled.

"The solar system will be integrated into the school's curriculum," said Principal Mason Skeffington, "with signage and educational materials teaching students about renewable energy and its impact on the environment."

This project is a powerful example of Seattle investing in its own future:
⚡ Solterra Solar is a Seattle-based solar installer and electrical company.
🔧 We used panels made by Silfab Solar, a local manufacturer just down the road in Burlington, WA.
💡 Alki Elementary’s solar system will power 30+ years of student learning in West Seattle.
🌎 The switch to clean energy protects the climate these students will inherit from us.

Collectively, we’ve powered a brighter future for Seattle’s businesses, students, and environment.

Congratulations to all involved in this project. Here’s to Seattle's future investments in the clean energy transition. 😎

Silfab Solar Inc. Seattle Public Schools

08/14/2026

We saved the best for last.

The mic drop moment from Aimee’s testimony at the Washington Building Code Council's public hearing went like this:

“Allowing this code as written will create a solar avoidance loophole and it would result in fewer renewables, for more money.”

What’s she referring to, exactly?

The proposed changes create a compliance loophole that lets developers avoid installing solar by paying into a fund or building an undersized system elsewhere (often on affordable housing).

But neither of these options is equivalent to real on-site generation.

The result? Less actual clean energy per dollar.

08/12/2026

More from Aimee's testimony on the Washington State Energy Code last Friday.

➡️ Install during construction, not later. Solar is cheapest when the roof and electrical are being built. Deferring it to a retrofit just drives up the cost for the same energy generation.

➡️ Don't exempt affordable housing. Capped rents mean these buildings can't offset rising energy costs like market-rate properties can. Solar would actually help keep their costs down.

More testimony highlights coming soon.

08/07/2026

Today, Solterra Solar CEO Aimee Carpenter testified at the Washington Building Code Council's public hearing on proposed changes to the Washington State Energy Codes.

Aimee’s been in the solar industry since 2008, and has navigated many iterations of state incentives and code requirements. She understands how laws play out in practice.

We're breaking down her testimony in a 3-part series, starting with her first point on Proposal 24-GP-187, Section 411.1.

The issue: multifamily system sizing.

The current formula can require solar systems bigger than a building's shared meter will ever actually use. The goal is clean energy progress, not wasted equipment and investment.

Aimee's ask was simple: cap system size to match real usage. Every dollar spent should generate energy the building actually needs.

Part 2 dropping soon.

08/06/2026

🏆 For the 11th year in a row, Solterra Solar has been named to Solar Power World’s Top Solar Contractors List!

The 2026 list recognizes solar companies across the country based on their impact from the previous year. In 2025, our team installed 2,027 kW of solar and 1,459 kWh of energy storage across residential and commercial projects, earning us a spot as the #6 Washington-based solar installer and among the top 300 solar contractors nationwide.

But our success isn’t measured by installation volume alone. We measure it by the thousands of conversations, permits, utility processes, and local projects that have helped Washington families and businesses take control of their energy.

As a hyper-local solar installer, we bring nearly 20 years of experience navigating Western Washington’s unique utilities, permitting requirements, incentives, and climate conditions. That local knowledge helps our customers make smarter energy decisions, and it’s something national companies simply can’t replicate.

When you choose a local solar expert, you’re choosing a team that knows your community.

Ready to explore solar for your home or business? Get started today: https://solar.solterra.com/quote/.

07/23/2026

Solterra Solar CEO Aimee Carpenter tours Seattle’s first solar-powered hydroponic farm on Cherry Street Farm’s opening day.

Helping power visions like this is why we love solar. Hip Hop is Green is revolutionizing climate education in Seattle’s Central District. We can’t wait to see the ripple effect of their work in the CD and beyond.

As Aimee says, this is the future of sustainability.

Hip Hop is Green Cherry Street Farms

Address

2909 1st Avenue South
Seattle, WA
98134

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+12064621103

Website

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