About 3,000 Snohomish County PUD customers are supporting solar energy by participating in the utility’s voluntary Planet Power green energy program. The PUD is finalizing plans for four additional projects to be installed this year. With the new installations, the program now supports 25 solar arrays throughout Snohomish County.
“This is an easy way for many customers to support the growth and use of local solar energy,” said Leslie Moynihan, the PUD’s Planet Power program manager. “And everyone benefits as the entire community can learn more about this energy source.”
The 2013 projects are:
- Community Resources Foundation: Planet Power will help fund a 4 kilowatt (kW) system atop the Stanwood Camano Community Resource Center. This solar array will have excellent visibility, as this new 7,000 square-foot building will serve as a community-gathering place. The building includes a family support center, teen center, community garden and the Morgan’s Tales Used Bookstore that serves as a job training site for teens and young adults with disabilities. The center also houses a large community meeting space and classrooms.
- Everett Community College: A 19 kW series of solar panels will be installed at Liberty Hall, which is home to Everett Community College’s nursing and health sciences programs as well as the Providence Everett Healthcare Clinic. The system will help the 72,000 square foot building achieve LEED Gold certification.
- Lakewood School District: Lakewood High School, in Arlington, will install a 9.7 kW solar array. The school serves the Lake Goodwin, North Lakewood and Smokey Point areas. The solar array will be incorporated into the school’s natural resources program.
- City of Sultan: A 10.8 kW solar array is planned for the rooftop of the building that houses Sultan City Hall and the local Sno-Isle Library. The front lobby will feature a monitor showing the system’s production, and books about renewable energy will be added to library resources.
Customers can enroll in Planet Power at any time. They can either opt to contribute $3 or more each month as part of their utility bill payment or make a one-time payment of $15 or more. Every dollar contributed goes directly to operate the program, educate the community and increase the level of energy that is produced from renewable sources. Customers can enroll online at www.snopud.com/planetpower, in person at any PUD office or by calling the utility’s Energy Hotline at 425-783-1700.
Source: Snohomish County PUD, Press Release, July 23, 2013.