3. Ellensburg Community Renewable
Park
City of Ellensburg
(approx 8500 utility customers )
Electricity
Annual Usage - 185 million kWh
$11.7 million
Natural Gas
Annual Usage - 9 million therms
$9.5 million
4. Ellensburg Community Renewable
Park
Ellensburg’s
Conservation /Renewable
Programs
1980-present
$16 million in conservation project
2004 - present
Community Solar Project - 111 KW
Small Wind Turbines - 17.6 KW
5. Ellensburg’s Community Renewable
Park
City of Ellensburg
(approx. 8500 utility customers )
Electricity
Annual Usage - 185 million kWh
$11.7 million
Natural Gas
“the sun”
Annual Usage - 9 million therms
$ 9.5 million
Ellensburg’s most abundant energy resource
7. Ellensburg Community Renewable
Park
Solar Electric Barriers
Aesthetic concerns – solar modules on the roof
High initial costs
$25 - $30,000 for a standard residential installation
Primary roof area not oriented south
Roof shading from other buildings & trees
Lack of qualified solar installers
Lack of understanding about renewable energy
Maintenance Issues
9. Ellensburg Community Renewable
Park
Key Elements
overcomes many of the solar barriers
new and innovative funding approach
valuable educational tool
distributed energy resource
keeps utility dollars in the community
link to local economic development
benefits to the local utility
encourages other communities
10. Ellensburg Community Renewable
Park
Key Players
Utility Director
City Council
Northwest Solar Center
Bonneville Environmental Foundation
Central Washington University
Bonneville Power Administration
Senator Rockefeller
Utility Customers
11. Ellensburg Community Renewable
Park
A New Marketing
&
Financing Concept Introduced
People in the Community partner with the Utility to help
fund the project
In exchange for their financial support – the Utility gives the
Contributors a credit on their utility bill for the value of
the electricity produced by the solar system
12. Ellensburg Community Renewable
Park
if a customer contributes the customer receives
3% 3%
of the project funding kWhs produced by the
solar project in the
form
of a “solar credit” on
their
utility bill
The solar credit is given to the customer for 20 years
(the length of the warrantee on the solar panels )
16. Ellensburg
Solar Community Project
“2004 solar concept “
Local citizens partnering with the City for clean renewable energy options
17. Ellensburg Community Renewable
Park
Strong Educational Component
CWU
- Industrial Engineering Technology Department
- Geography Department
- Education
- Faculties Management
Ellensburg Public School District
National Solar Tour
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27. Phase I
November 2006
36 KW System
(120 ) 300 watt polycrystalline modules
Phase ll
November 2008
21 KW System
(72 ) 300 watt polycrystalline modules
Phase III
September 2009
13.5 KW System
(180) 75 watt thin film modules
41. Ellensburg Community Renewable
Park
2012 - 2013
Complete Installation of the 3 remaining turbines
Interstate & Project Signage
New Data monitoring system/weather station
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