First
community solar to be built in Pasco
(PASCO,
WA) Franklin PUD broke ground on Monday, April 4, 2016 on the first
community solar project in Pasco and it began producing energy on April 28th
, 2016.
The
project is a “solar carport” located at the Franklin PUD Administration
building in Pasco adjacent to the main office at 1411 West Clark Street. The
project is comprised of 252 solar panels mounted on a carport covering the
parking stalls at the southeast corner of the lot. Half of the parking stalls
will be available for the public to use. The total power generation
capacity of the project will be 69.3 kilowatts, with enough annual energy
production to power about five to six average homes.
The
project was fully subscribed in December 2015 by Franklin PUD customers.
The cost per block was $200. Customers chose to purchase between one and
seventy-five of the 1,725 blocks that were available. Community solar is
a low-hassle option that generally offers a lower entry-price than rooftop
solar and allows participants to support a sustainable future through an
investment in a renewable source of energy – solar.
The
cost of the project is funded by customer participation and some Rural Economic
Development funds. In return, participants receive a proportionate credit on
their electricity bill for solar energy produced by the project as well as the
Washington State energy production credits. With the state production incentive
of $1.08 per kilowatt hour generated through June 2020, and a monthly net
metering credit, participants can expect a payback in three to four
years. Our community solar project provides Franklin PUD customers
another solar option for those who may not own property or have an appropriate
location for solar installation.
The
contractor for the project was A&R Solar from Seattle (www.a-rsolar.com), who has built community
solar projects for a number of utilities throughout the state. The
carport structure was furnished and erected by Baja Construction out of
Martinez, California. Ray Poland & Sons, a local engineering firm
from Kennewick, performed site restoration work.
Franklin PUD will be hosting a ribbon cutting ceremony on
Wednesday, May 25th at 11:00 a.m. at the Administration building. The
public is invited to attend.
