Excerpt from: Utility Considers Solar Venture
MASON COUNTY:
225-kilowatt solar array would be largest in Western WA
By John Dodge
SHELTON — Mason County Public Utility District No. 3 is poised to venture into the world of solar power in a big way.
The Shelton-based utility is entertaining a proposal by a private contractor to install one of the largest solar-power systems in the state on the roof of the vehicle-storage building at the utility’s $34.9 million operations center under construction at Johns Prairie.
The 225-kilowatt solar-panel array would cover 22,000 square feet and cost $1.23 million to build, according to estimates by the company that has approached the utility to install the solar system, Adolfson & Peterson Construction of Minneapolis, said utility spokesman Joel Myer.
If approved, it would be the largest solar power system in Western Washington, said Phil Lou, solar-energy specialist at the Washington State University Extension Energy Program.
By comparison, the solar installation on the Washington PUD Association headquarters in Olympia is 34 kilowatts.
“We’re very interested in the project,” said utility power-supply manager Jay Himlie. The utility commissioners were briefed on the project last week and expect to decide whether to support the project within a few weeks.
Adolfson & Peterson would pay 61 percent of the project costs, with the utility picking up the rest. The company would sell the power to the utility at a 10 percent discount from the utility’s retail power rate. The utility would have the option to purchase the solar-power system at the end of 10 years.
By using electricity generated by the solar system, the PUD would avoid purchasing about 189,000 kilowatt-hours annually for an estimated savings of about $12,000, Myer said.
The alternative power supply would reduce the utility’s carbon footprint by about 13 tons per year, utility officials estimated.
In addition, the solar-power system would help the utility meet state requirements that nine percent of the utility’s power supply come from green-energy sources by 2016, Himlie said.
Link to complete article:http://www.theolympian.com/2011/04/21/1624292/utility-considers-solar-venture.html
Its nice.I know solar is very interesting topic to read.As of now, solar power and solar related devices are expensive. But it may be reduced if most of the people start using it. Let us see the future of solar power.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds like a great proposal and one worthy of support, at least as currently presented. If the details of the project pass the test of due diligence what a positive message this could send about our community.
ReplyDelete