Northwest Solar Power Plant

Are solar farms a good idea in the northwest?

But recently there has been a surge of interest in building new solar farms as well as in expanding wind power. One of the Northwest’s most ambitious solar projects has been proposed for 1,700 acres of private and public land in Klickitat County near the Columbia River.

Are solar farms coming to Washington?

Solar-energy farms have boomed in California, but have been slow to take hold in Washington, where hydropower and wind power provide most of the renewable-electricity delivered by utilities. The Avangrid solar farm will have a 150-megawatt capacity.

What if Klickitat County had solar power?

If the Klickitat County site produced power at the national average for photovoltaics, it could send electricity to more than 28,000 homes, according to an analysis by the Solar Energy Industries Association. Recently, there has been a surge of interest in building solar farms in the Pacific Northwest as well as in expanding wind power.

Are agrivoltaic solar panels legal in Oregon?

However, restrictions in Oregon still allow for 20-acre agrivoltaic developments on farmland. Cost: Agrivoltaic solar panels are more costly than traditional solar panels, as they can require additional settings, space, and other specializations. However, the energy generated by solar panels can help to offset these costs over time.

Could a solar farm be near a wind farm?

That document notes that the solar farm would be near several wind farms, including Big Horn, a project Iberdrola developed near Bickleton, that opened in 2007. Mo-chi Lindblad, the county’s planning director, said the initial project document outlined some 4,000 acres that could potentially be used for solar panels.

Is there a solar farm in Kittitas County?

This is the first solar farm to be proposed for Klickitat County. Elsewhere in Washington, another solar development triggered controversy due to concerns about ceding prime farmland to energy production. A 25-megawatt project in Kittitas County is scheduled to be built on 200 acres, some of which are irrigated.