Community Solar!

As we ride over the peak of global oil production, and the threat of climate disturbance approaches, we will need to learn how to live with less and less fossil fuel, firstly because we won’t have as much, and secondly, because we dare not burn it. One of the first casualties of this double jeopardy is the global economy. As the global economy weakens, the obvious alternative is to begin localizing our economy. With multiple independent and redundant economies, natural disasters or conflict in one place will not necessarily broadcast instability throughout the system. It is the way nature works. I’m not saying that everything will be rosy, but we would stand a much better chance of providing for our needs. So, localizing makes good sense for that reason alone.
 
Nowhere are we more dependent on the world at large than in our reliance on the power grid. When the grid goes down, the effect is dramatic and immediate. We can build resilience into our communities in two ways: we can reduce our need for power through conservation and conscious lifestyle change, and we can begin to invest in energy sources at the local level.
 
You may remember the PUD proposal that we voted on in 2006. The proposal called for a massive commitment to improve home energy efficiency while building local energy infrastructure. As you may remember, the PUD proposal was defeated. I think it’s fair to say that either it wasn’t ready for us or we weren’t ready for it.
 
The proposal was based on the first comprehensive assessment of the ability of Vashon to provide energy for itself. The study was completed in 2005 by the Institute for Environmental Research and Education, which is led by Islander Rita Schenck. This study is a tremendous resource for us and I expect that most of the data collected is still valid. The study, all 127 pages, can be accessed here: www.iere.org/Data/Sites/1/SharedFiles/energyindependence/vashon-summary.pdf.
 
Even though the PUD never became a reality, some of the opportunities that it would have provided are available today just the same. Rebates and Subsidies for home energy efficiency upgrades are available through Puget Sound Energy and the state and Federal governments. Puget Sound Consumer Credit Union now offers low interest loans similar to what would have been available through the PUD. Vashon Wisenergy provides the audits and assistance the PUD would have provided.
 
Local energy production is also now a reality. State incentives to encourage renewable energy investment have facilitated the installation of our first community solar array by Vashon Solar LLC. The first phase of the project, a 9 kw installation, is online and is predominantly owned by Vashon investors. The second phase could be as large as 31 kw depending on how fully it gets funded. That is where all the rest of us come in. If you are like me, you have considered the possibility of installing photovoltaic solar on your home. The two biggest obstacles are cost and suitability. PV solar is expensive and, if you have trees around your home, you may not get enough sun to warrant the investment. Investing in Vashon Solar LLC allows you to reap energy savings as if the array was located on you own home, but for a lot less money. As a Community Solar project, Vashon Solar LLC gets state incentives and savings that a private owner would not qualify for. Additional savings come from the fact that you don’t have to apply for the permits or exclusively own all the peripheral equipment you would need to process that electricity and divert it to the grid. That is a fixed cost that you would have to pay even with a very small system. That cost is shared by all the investors in this project. Thirdly, you don’t have to worry about maintenance. Owning a share of this project would entitle you to your share of the revenue from power sales to Puget Sound Energy.
 
A single share in this project is $5000. If you are like me, you don’t have $5000 to spare. You can own part of a share by bundling your money with friends. Five people could put up $1000 apiece, ten, $500 apiece, and so on. The only caveat is that the dividend would have to go to one individual in your group who would then be responsible for dividing it amongst your group.
 
The final deadline for investment is March 31. This is an investment in a clean future, and in the resilience of your community. This is real transition in action and you should seriously consider it! You can get all the details for this proposal and questions answered by contacting Gib Dammann, gibd@VashonSolar.com, or 206 919 3546.
 
Comments? terry@vashonloop.com