In March 2024, Solar Washington interviewed Shane Frye, a current Solar Washington member and board member. Shane tells us how his professional experience has shaped his understanding of solar.

Solar Washington: How or why did you become interested in solar? Tell us about any specific experience with solar.

Shane Frye: I have always had an interest in solar and fortunately was given the opportunity to learn more as when I began working in Customer Service at Snohomish County PUD. From there I became more involved through our Energy Services department and was given the opportunity to take over PUD's Solar program with my initial focus being to streamline our Interconnection Application and review process to make it easier for our customers to go solar. I have also done extensive work on building out our website to be more informative and educational so that customers can get the information they need before making their final decision.

SW: Why did you join Solar Washington and what do you expect from Solar Washington?

SF: I was encouraged to join Solar Washington by a fellow utility colleague and to run for the board, and I’m so glad I did! It has been a great experience so far having the opportunity to work with and learn from other committed solar professionals across the state. I appreciate that Solar Washington offers various platforms for solar education and collaboration with all energy stakeholders with diverse perspectives. My expectation for Solar Washington is to continue to adapt to the ever-progressing renewable energy landscape while providing education and resources to those looking for where to start as well as those looking for the next phase in their renewable energy journey.

SW: What is next for you regarding solar?

SF: I am currently partnering with colleagues within our utility to research the potential of developing programs for solar combined with battery storage that will benefit our customers and utility. This includes creating a battery storage survey that will be going out to Snohomish County PUD customers in the near future.

SW: Can you share any lessons you learned during your solar experience?

SF: With the rapid growth of solar in Snohomish County over the last couple of years it was hard to keep up with all of the interconnection applications coming in. Our team worked to create a more streamlined interconnection application process to provide a better turnaround time for giving approval to installers to begin construction on our customers solar systems.