Sunny Central Oregon is a great location for solar energy development
Solar energy development in Central Oregon is really taking off. Not only is there a proposed solar energy farm in Christmas Valley (about 95 miles southeast of Bend, Oregon), but two new solar developments also are being considered just south of the Deschutes County line, in Klamath County. In all, there are as many as seven solar energy developers that wish to construct solar farms in the region.
And why not? With 300 days of sunshine per year, Central Oregon is a perfect place for solar energy development!
Earlier this year, a California company, GreenWing Energy America, submitted an application to the Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL) to construct a solar farm on approximately 640 acres in Lake County on a former military radar based in Christmas Valley. The proposed development would generate between 50-104 megawatts (MW) of clean, solar energy with PV solar panels outfitted with tracking devices to follow the path of the sun each day. The utility-scale solar development would be situated near transmission lines so as to reduce the cost of getting power to customers. GreenWing has also purchased more than 6,000 acres of easements for potential wind development in the area.
Solar farms in Central Oregon
Approval has been issued to Obsidian Finance Group, LLC, a Portland Oregon firm, to develop 80 acres for solar energy on nearby private land. That proposal will experience fewer hurdles than the DSL Christmas Valley site which first needs to complete a land transfer from the federal government to the State of Oregon. Since the shuttering of the Air Force radar complex on the property back in 1990, Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski designated it as an Oregon Solutions project. The designation means that state and local government officials will come together on economic development.
Clearly, solar energy development is something on which Oregon and local cities and counties can agree!
Central Oregon is a recreational mecca and a special place that many desire to keep clean and green. With ample sunshine and wide open spaces, its no wonder that so many developers are considering the area for solar development.
Tags: bend oregon, central oregon, solar energy development, solar farms
September 1st, 2009 at 3:54 am
Whenever I heard about the development of solar energy use, i feel proud of people involved. Let's cheer Oregon for this achievement. More than this, we need to teach and socialize to people about how to build solar panels by themselves for domestic needs at home. This would be great idea.
October 17th, 2010 at 7:40 pm
It seems like solar has come a long way in the past few years. I love to hear more and more states adopting solar technology. I read that by 2015 solar will be as cheap as coal, that would really make solar panels the way to go. Solar panels and electric cars, say goodbye to foreign oil dependency!
January 12th, 2011 at 6:26 am
It is great to see more investment coming into renewable energy technology. It is also great to keep such wonderful places as Oregon green and clean.
However, if we really want to end our dependence on fossil fuels we need more than the investments into solar or wind farms by big corporations (even though this is certainly a very important step in the right direction).
Every one of us, especially those of us who own their houses should evaluate what we can do. We can all learn how to build wind turbine or solar panels for our homes. We can then use these alternative energy technologies to generate at least some of the electricity that we consume ourselves.
In Germany, for example, people use solar and wind technology to produce their own electricity. Any excess electricity they produce they can feed back into the grid and the power companies pay them.
Imagine that, receiving a cheque from your power company instead of another bill. Good for us and for our environment.
November 8th, 2011 at 8:58 pm
Almost all countries in the world are into solar energy. Is it most likely we are conscious about our environment. The increasing heat is quite alarming.
November 10th, 2011 at 11:25 pm
Solar energy development is rampant nowadays as this helps conserve energy and at the same time helps improve the environment.
November 17th, 2011 at 8:11 am
Wow! This is good news. Really good news among those who are living in Central Oregon.