The days of coal being used as the main power source in Upper Kittitas County are coming to an end, thanks to plans for a large solar installation just four miles northeast of the Cle Elum city limits. It’s to be built on 580 acres of logged timberland.
The Teanaway Solar Reserve was proposed by businessman Howard Trott. Once it is approved by the county, he will install 400,000 photovoltaic panels which are expected to generate enough energy for 45,000 households. The proposal has received mixed reactions from local residents and businesses.
The proposed project should result in 225 construction jobs which would span the following three years. Additionally, the city of Cle Elum and Kittitas County would get at least two million dollars in new property tax revenue. Businesses in the area are also eyeing contracts to make parts needed for the project.
But some residents and environmental groups are concerned about the impact the proposed solar installation may have on the environment. It might disrupt elk migration, and some trees will need to be cut down. However, according to the proposal, each tree felled will be replaced by three trees. Some residents worry that the view from their home will be obstructed by the solar panels, but the solar arrays will be placed amidst the vegetation below the ridge lines.
The question in most skeptics’ minds is “Will the solar installation project ever see the light of day?” They’ve said that the proposed solar farm sounds too good to be true. Trott tells these detractors that the solar power installation will indeed become a reality. He plans to start the construction in April of next year. All he needs is that a commitment be made by the big utility companies, and then the project will be pushed through.
According to Trott, the primary reasons why the Teanaway Solar Reserve is possible are favorable solar panel pricing, federal and state tax incentives, and the Obama administration’s green agenda. He saw the opportunity, and he wants to capitalize on it.
According to a study conducted by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory at the University of California, prices for rectangular solar panels have been on a decline for the last several years. The average cost of going solar in the United States decreased by more than thirty percent between 1998 and 2008. This can be attributed to successful market-building policies at local and state levels. Such policies include federal and state tax credits and a voter-approved renewable energy mandate.
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