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Solarize Port Townsend 2012
Net Metering Bill in Olympia
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Solarize Port Townsend 2012 - (The 1% Edition)

 

Solarize Port Townsend is a solar group purchasing program that will yield rebates of $700 per KW to participants who enroll by April 30th for the installation of grid-tied pv systems by June 30th. Although the program is called Solarize Port Townsend, it is open to all residents of East Jefferson County.

 

There are two orientation sessions:

 

Port Townsend - Saturday, January 28th from 10 - 11:30 AM at the Masonic Lodge located at 1338 Jefferson Street, in Port Townsend. The event is free and open to the public.

 

Port Ludlow - Saturday, February, 11 from 1:00 - 2:30 PM at the Conference Center / Grace Christian Center at 200 Olympic Place In Port Ludlow.

 

The rebates are direct from Power Trip Energy Corp, who achieves savings through bulk purchasing and streamlined installations resulting from the bulk purchasing model. You can learn more by calling us at 360-643-3080 or visiting www.solarizept.com 

 

* What do you mean by the 1% Edition?

 

Currently there are 120 "customer owned renewable energy systems" on PSE's grid in Jefferson County, which is 0.8% of the total number of 15,000 electric customers. This is nearly three tiRubenstienmes the number of systems per capita as the second highest county in PSE's territory. With the addition of 30 new grid-tied pv systems in Jefferson County in 2012, we will have achieved a 1% adoption rate locally, being the first county in the state (perhaps nationally) to have such density of adoption of renewable energy. Due to recent dramatic price drops this is a realistic goal this year, and participating in Solarize Port Townsend is how you can be a part of this community effort. You could be proud to be a member of this 1%.

  

Report on Last Year's and Ongoing Solarize Programs

 

Solarize Port Townsend -Spring 2011 - 16 pv systems totaling 81 KW.

 

Solarize Sequim - Summer 2011 - 10 pv systems totaling 50 KW.

 

Solarize Kitsap-Winter 2011/2012 (ongoing,enrollment deadline Feb 21)

 

 

                        Net Metering Bill in Olympia -

 Legislative Head's Up on HB 2243

 

There are a couple of solar-related bills under consideration in Olympia currently. I want to call your attention specifically to HB 2243, which raises two caps currently limiting the size and amount of grid-tied pv systems.  The current limits are 100 KW per individual system, and a total capacity of 0.5% of the utility's overall peak demand must be made available to net metered systems.  HB 2243, in its current incarnation, would raise the individual system limit to 2 MW, and the overall net metering availability to 5% of the utilities peak demand. Note that this bill in no way affects the state's production incentives.

 

When compared with other states, the 100 KW net metering limit is very low. States that have had more success with implementation of distributed renewable energy have done so with more realistic limits to the size of each system, opening the market to commercially-scaled projects.

 The beauty of net metering policy is that when unhindered by low caps, it allows market forces and technical issues (through the National Electric Code) to determine the best capacity for a net metered system.  The current caps in Washington State are one of the contributing factors that are limiting the uptake of this beneficial technology.

 By increasing the limits, the state and citizenry will benefit from individuals' private investments, and will not need to expend any public funds.  The raising of the current caps will no doubt result in more investment in net metered renewable energy systems, which will benefit the state economically through savings of our other energy sources and through increased jobs and economic activity for contractors and manufacturers.  Also importantly, the state's environment and air quality will benefit since the increase in net metered energy systems, will result in the use of less carbon-based energy sources and their attendant pollution.

 Please let your representatives in Olympia know you want them to move ahead with the changes to net metering in HB 2243.

 

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While some of us here have been enjoying catching up with old friends on FaceBook for a while now, we have not been sure of the value for using this tool for our business. We have taken the plunge and have now created a FaceBook page for Power Trip Energy and think it will be useful for its event calendar and its photo albums. If you use FaceBook, please like us in order to see our current events.

 

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Let us know if you have any suggestions for how this might be useful to you. Also let us know if you find FaceBook offensive (an opinion that may not be in the minority among our clients!)