Portland General Electric to install large rooftop solar project
A new PGE solar rooftop project in Portland, Oregon will be the largest rooftop solar installation in the Pacific Northwest. PGE (Portland General Electric) is planning a 2.4 megawatt (MW) solar project in partnership with U.S. Bank, ProLogis, and several other Oregon companies. Northwest Solar Solutions estimates at least 60,000 green jobs (union wage electrical and roofing) will be created.
The project will be approximately 900,000-square feet in size and will cover the roofs of seven ProLogis warehouses in Portland and the neighboring cities of Gresham and Clackamas. UNI-SOLAR thin-film solar panels will be installed, like the ones used in the 2008 solar panel partnership project between PGE and ProLogis.
Between the new solar rooftop project and the 2008 installation, approximately 3.5 megawatts of solar electricity will be generated. Nearly 400 families could draw on the solar energy alone to power their households.
Observed Carol Dillan, VP of customers and economic development at PGE:
“PGE is continuing to steadily grow its solar energy resources for our customers. It’s exciting to be able to bring innovative projects like this to Oregon and strengthen the state’s solar industry.”
Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski at the Oregon Solar Highway Project
News like this isn’t rare in Oregon, which is a leader nationwide with respect to solar energy. In fact, PGE is proud of the fact that its new solar rooftop project will help it meet the state’s renewable energy standard of 25% renewable energy by 2025.
Here’s some fast facts about PGE and its new project:
- PGE ranks 8th in the nation among utilities for total solar capacity, according to the Solar Energy Power Association
- With the new project, PGE will be have more than 12 MW of solar electricity in its resource mix
- PGE supports customer-owned solar energy projects through its net metering program
- SunWay3 LLC will own and operate the system, working to secure state and federal solar tax credits
- PGE garnered a lot of positive press through its work with Oregon Department of Transportation on the solar highway project
- The utility earned a Solar Business Achievement Award from the Solar Electric Power Association for being the first utility in the nation to develop a third-party ownership model to help develop large-scale solar projects
- Other incentives for the project will come from Energy Trust of Oregon, PV Powered and Tonkon Torp
All of this great solar news from a state that many think of as cloudy and overcast!
Shine on, PGE, shine on!
Tags: green jobs created, northwest solar solutions, pge, portland general electric, portland oregon solar, prologis, rooftop solar panels, solar business achievement award, solar rooftop project, thin film solar panels, uni-solar
March 5th, 2011 at 5:52 pm
We are residents of a townhouse development in Foster City, CA. There ae about 50 4-townhouse units in this complex. It happens that the roof structures are ideal for large, modular PV panel installations, 40 by 50 feet in many cases.
Is it reasonable to consider a development wide installation with only a few connections to the local grid, NOT individual home inverters? The project to be owned, financed, and serviced by a single provider.
Are there any solar installer/providers that are willing to bid on such a project including costs per household and financing through the home owners association? There are 200 households in this development.
Are there any data regarding panels protecting roof coverings to the extent that planned re-roofing can be delayed when roofs are covered with solar panels?
Ken Wasson (650) 345-0706
kenwasson@yahoo.com