Solar Energy — It’s All Happening at the School

— by Margie Doyle, updated June 3 at 9 p.m. —

The “new normal” in energy production comes to Orcas Island this fall as a Community Solar project, brought about by partnership with the Orcas Island School District (OISD), the Bonneville Environmental Fund (BEF), OPALCO and San Juan Islands Conservation District.

For Orcas, it began when Alternative Education OAISIS teacher Bob Dash and fellow teacher Brett McFarland wrote a grant application to the Bonneville Environmental Fund to put panels on the high school roof that would provide 7kW. That plan grew to providing 10 kW (the amount used by the average household), and Dash says, “The real strength is in leveraging this grant to inspire school students to go on in STEM(Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) – and humanities –courses.”

A computerized monitoring kiosk of timed energy production will illustrate how solar energy translates into the reduction of greenhouse gasses. Other benefits are a reduced electrical bill for schools and a community solar model.

The project is funded through an incentive rebate model that allows anyone to participate (at $4 per watt with a minimum 50-watt — $200 — contribution) and get an annual check for 10 years that is anticipated to provide full payback – and potentially more, Dash says.

The Community Solar project is already accepting participants, Dash says. “We’ll be fundraising all summer, as this is a kind of ‘microlending’ project –$200 minimum contribution per energy unit… We’re aiming to raise about $40,000 on Orcas.”

He notes that similar community solar models have been quickly funded, and then the bid process will begin, with installation planned by November. Proposals from local contractors will be considered “as much as possible,” Dash says.

He cites his experience from his home in Kitsap County where solar panels create 4.5 kW. He hasn’t had an electric power bill for four years and he receives an annual check for 15 cents per kw hour produced.

Fellow teachers Paula Towne and Jill Sherman have been heavily involved with Dash and McFarland in this project. What’s really exciting, says Dash, is that the cost of solar panels has fallen to half what it was eight years ago and is growing more and more favorable. We can expect “grid parity” by 2020 — the cost of solar energy will be the same as current hydro-electric and coal sources, and without the subsidies or incentives now available through state and federal programs.

“If we’re installing now and inspiring students to see this as the norm, then grid parity is possible and the understanding that this is what you do to meet energy needs.

“Solar power installation and energy sourcing is not an odd, exotic ‘environmentalist’ thing to do; it’s not a feel good, boutique, elitist thing. That’s absurd. Why is it ‘elite’ to take advantage of an incredible resource?”

Community Solar applications are available from the San Juan Islands Conservation District at 378-6621 or energy@sjislandscd.org.

Plan to attend this Saturday’s Energy Fair at the Village Green in Eastsound from 10-3 to learn more about the Community Solar project, and to sign up for investing.