SolarRisk Tracker / Explore / WA / Thurston

Thurston County, WA — Solar Development Risk Assessment

Local solar ordinance barriers, board sentiment, and utility policies that affect development timelines and risk.

28.7
Risk Grade
Excellent
Growing rooftop and commercial saturation as primary risk; excellent policy environment with state capital influence; limited utility-scale greenfield sites near Olympia; JBLM southern border restricts some parcels.
Assessment Snapshot
Population
290,536
State Rank
#2
Compliance
30%
Trajectory
35

Moratorium Status

✓ No Active Moratorium
No Moratorium

Ordinance & Regulations

Setback Requirements
Thurston County code: setback and site plan requirements for utility-scale solar; JBLM southern boundary affects some county areas.
Zoning Mechanism
Thurston County: CUP in Agricultural and Resource zones; Thurston County Planning Dept and Board of County Commissioners.
Acreage Caps
None codified.
Density Caps
None codified.
Spacing Rules
None codified.
Size Restrictions
None codified.

Board Sentiment & Political Risk

Sentiment Analysis
Supportive — state capital; strong state government sustainability leadership; PSE active solar programs; county board supportive; growing Lacey/Tumwater suburban market
Basis for Assessment
PSE and Pacific Power serve county; Olympia state government campus is major institutional rooftop market; Joint Base Lewis-McChord southern boundary restricts some south county parcels; Nisqually River delta creates shoreline considerations; South Sound communities growing rapidly with strong sustainability ethos
Political Risk Factors
Improving
Board Members
Board of Thurston County Commissioners (3 members) | Partisan elections | 4-yr terms | Thurston County Courthouse, Olympia WA

Grid, Utilities & State Context

Grid Operator
WECC / BPA Transmission — PSE and Pacific Power service territory; South Puget Sound / Olympia grid
Utilities
Puget Sound Energy (PSE), Pacific Power (PacifiCorp)
State Permitting Process
Large facilities (≥350 MW): EFSEC exclusive jurisdiction. <350 MW: county CUP/SUP; no statewide preemption floor. SEPA review required. GMA energy siting required in comprehensive plans. SMA applies near shorelines. Critical Areas Ordinances: wetlands, fish habitat, flood zones require county CAO compliance. Ag land conversion: county-specific farmland protection policies apply.
State Incentives
Washington Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA/SB 5116, 2019): IOUs carbon-neutral by 2030; 100% carbon-free by 2045. Net metering: ≤100 kW IOU customers under WUTC; PUDs set individual limits. RESIP: production incentives for ≤100 kW systems. Sales & use tax exemption (RCW 82.08.962). Property tax exemption (RCW 84.36.635). Community solar via PSE, SnoPUD, Tacoma Power, Clark Public Utilities, and most WA PUDs. PACE financing in participating counties. Federal ITC: 30% (IRA 2022); 10% low-income adder for qualifying projects.

Development Activity

Active/Completed Projects
State government campus in Olympia has commercial solar installations; Thurston County facilities rooftop solar; PSE community solar enrollment growing; residential pipeline expanding in Lacey and Tumwater areas.
Denied/Withdrawn Projects
No formal denials on record; limited utility-scale greenfield applications due to land availability.

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Last verified: 2026-04-01 | SolarRisk Tracker | Data sources: Government records, utility filings, public meeting minutes