Leslie Myers is a Clean Energy Product Manager at Puget Sound Energy. Her role with PSE is to oversee a suite of voluntary clean energy programs that allow customers to reduce their carbon footprints. She also has many years of experience as a marketing and communications strategist. Leslie has bachelor’s degrees in history and Women Studies from Portland State University and a Master of Communications from the University of Washington.
As the Product Manager for Voluntary Renewables at Puget Sound Energy (PSE), I oversee six different renewable energy options that thousands of customers across Washington count on to align their energy use with their values. My role blends strategy and operations: I ensure our products run smoothly day-to-day while also setting the long-term vision for how they evolve to meet changing customer needs and support broader corporate sustainability goals.
A big part of my job is to ensure our renewable programs don’t just exist—they stay relevant. That means listening closely to what customers want and making changes accordingly. For instance, we recently decided to close two long-standing products to new enrollments. They had served their purpose well and were created in response to customer demand over a decade ago. One of those, Solar Choice, offered 100% solar renewable energy certificates (RECs). However, the solar landscape in Washington has changed dramatically in ten years. With solar now more mainstream, our customers are gravitating toward options like Community Solar, which offers more localized, tangible connections to solar arrays— sometimes right in their neighborhoods.
Breaking Down Barriers to Participation
One of the most persistent challenges we face is the cost barrier. Renewable energy often carries a premium, especially when there’s an upfront investment involved. Despite the growing interest in sustainability, cost remains the first hurdle to adoption.
That’s why we’re committed to building inclusive programs. At PSE, we offer income-qualified customers the opportunity to subscribe to up to two shares of Community Solar at no cost. We also provide grants and incentives to install solar panels for nonprofit organizations, tribal entities, and facilities that serve lower-income communities. These installations can reduce the organizations’ utility bills or even generate credits to share with affordable housing residents. It’s about making renewable energy accessible, not just aspirational.
Communicating Impact and Making it Personal
Helping customers understand the environmental impact of their participation is essential—not just for retention but also for creating a genuine sense of ownership and purpose. The tricky part is that renewable energy is often intangible. The power generated may come from a state—or even multiple states—away. It’s not something customers can easily see or touch, and that can make it harder to connect with.
“When we align our renewable offerings with what people truly care about, we not only accelerate adoption— we build a cleaner, more inclusive energy future for all”
To bridge that gap, we publish an annual impact report showing the collective participation outcomes. These numbers can be significant and are always well-received. For our commercial clients, we also offer customized reports summarizing their energy impact—these are particularly valuable for organizations working to meet sustainability goals and report on their environmental performance.
The Future of Renewable Programs: Specificity and Simplicity
As I look ahead, I see that customers want more specificity. If they can’t install solar panels on their rooftops or produce their renewable natural gas, they still want to know exactly where their energy is coming from. That’s why some of our newer offerings allow customers to replace their energy with electricity from a specific solar array or renewable natural gas collected at a Washington landfill. These options might be more expensive, but they’re popular because customers value transparency and traceability—they want to know what’s flowing into their homes.
At the same time, I firmly believe in the enduring value of our legacy program, Green Power. It’s affordable, easy to adopt, and offers real environmental impact. These projects are typically built in highly efficient locations—maximizing wind or solar generation—and the flexibility of Green Power means we can support emerging technologies like biogas or geothermal when the opportunity arises.
Advice for Others in the Utility Space
If I had one piece of advice for other utilities or energy professionals, it would be this: ask your customers what they want. Don’t assume. Some of our large commercial clients prioritize cost and consistency to meet corporate sustainability targets. For them, we offer a large-volume Renewable Energy Certificates product that sources energy mostly from the Midwest with some local supply—resulting in a lower price and a more streamlined supply mix. On the other hand, our residential customers often value a more personal, local connection, and that’s where Community Solar shines.
We’ve also learned that the best time to engage customers is at the start of their journey. We’ve integrated voluntary renewables as an enrollment option when customers sign up or change their service online. This simple step has dramatically increased program visibility and participation while being one of our most cost-effective outreach strategies
Finally, keeping an existing customer is far more costeffective than acquiring a new one. That’s why we invest in customer education and retention. Beyond the annual impact reports, we publish a quarterly newsletter, provide window clings for commercial participants, and share an educational e-book to help our customers understand the ripple effects of their support.
My role is about listening—to the market, data, and, most importantly, our customers. When we align our renewable offerings with what people truly care about, we accelerate adoption and build a cleaner, more inclusive energy future for all.
