COMMUNITY SOLAR PROJECT TO BE PLACE AT THE HARBOR SCHOOL, VASHON

Here's an article that came out yesterday about the community solar project we will be installing next month here on 
Vashon, WA. I'm not sure how accurate my statement is about finding investors, but hopefully people are interested in supporting this effort.


URL: http://www.vashonbeachcomber.com/news/138000353.html


By LESLIE BROWN 
Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber Editor 
JANUARY 24, 2012 · UPDATED 2:47 PM 

Vashon Solar LLC is poised to install the Island’s first community solar project, an array that will be perched next to The Harbor School and could eventually kick out enough power to heat three houses.

Evan Leonard, solar project manager at Artisan Electric and a board member for Vashon Solar LLC, said the group is thrilled to have found a spot for the array, which will be installed in two phases this winter and spring.

“It’s wonderful,” he said. “It’s been a long time coming and a lot of hard work.”

The group, led by Vashon architect Gib Dammann, has been searching for months for a site for a community-based system, racing to get a project installed so as to take full advantage of generous state incentives slated to end in 2020. Another group, Vashon Community Solar, a project spearheaded by The Backbone Campaign, is also working to develop a site.

Leonard said the site at The Harbor School is ideal. The array will be situated on the ground on the south side of the building, where on a sunny day it would have 98 percent sun exposure — meaning that “from sun up to sun down 98 percent of the time the sun is hitting that surface,” Leonard said.

“That’s pretty rare. We’ve got a lot of trees on Vashon,” he said.

The project will be funded by Islanders investing $5,000 to $35,000 each, Leonard said. The group expects to have about 20 investors, ponying up a total of $250,000.

A federal tax credit gives each investor a 30 percent construction refund for various green energy projects, meaning that an investor who provides $5,000 toward the project can reduce his or her tax bill by $1,500.

The state Legislature, meanwhile, sweetened the pot with a bill it passed two years ago in an effort to stimulate a solar panel manufacturing industry: For every kilowatt hour produced by a system manufactured in the state and placed at a public building, the entity that created the project receives $1.08 — or 10 times the market value of the electricity — to be divvied up among its investors.

The Harbor School is private but its building and land are owned by the Vashon Island School District. The array will benefit the private school, not the district, Leonard said. But when the school’s lease is up, “It’ll be a good leverage point for the district,” he said.

Finding investors won’t be a problem, he added. “Already several people have shown a high level of interest,” he said.

Solarize Vashon Begins this Weekend!

Solarize Vashon!

Vashon Island is Seattle's newest community to solarize with the group purchase program! 

Solarize Vashon Kickoff

Saturday Aug. 13^th 10am-2pm  

Vashon Farmer's Market

Enrollment Workshop

Sunday, August 14^th 1-3 pm

Vashon College, Sheffield Building

18850 103^rd Ave. SW

What is Solarize Vashon?

A group purchasing program for Vashon-Maury Island residents resulting in significant savings on solar photovoltaic (PV) installations.

Who qualifies?

This program is available to PSE customers on Vashon-Maury Island.

How much money can I save with a group purchase? 

Solar installations typically cost $4,200 - $7,000 / kilowatt (kW) after the 30% federal income tax credit. 

Artisan Electric, Inc. will offer an additional $400 - $600/kW rebate per customer depending upon the total number of kilowatts installed through the program. 

Rebate levels:

1 kW – 40 kW installed = $400/kW

41 kW – 70kW installed = $500/kW

71+ kW installed = $600/kW

Maximum rebate amount $3,000 per customer.   

When can I get solar on my house or business through Solarize Vashon?

Installations will occur in the Fall-Winter of 2011.  

Be sure to enroll by October 1, 2011 to qualify for Solarize Vashon!  

Want to learn more? 

Attend one of our enrollment workshops, visit our website at artisanelectricinc.com, or call us at 206-463-3111.