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> Home > Government > News & Public Notices > 2010 News Stories > Auburn Business Installs Largest Industrial Solar System in PSE’s Service Area
Auburn Business Installs Largest Industrial Solar System in PSE’s Service AreaFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 16, 2010 Contact: MacKenzie McDowell Torr Technologies Connects 24-Kilowatt System to Utility Grid BELLEVUE, Wash. - Nov. 16, 2010 – Torr Technologies, Inc., an Auburn manufacturer of composites, laminating tools and hardware, recently began producing something entirely different: solar-powered electricity. In fact, Torr’s 24-kilowatt (kW) solar array is now the largest industrial generator of solar power in Puget Sound Energy’s nine-county electric service area. The Auburn company, owned by Greg Lindstrom and Paul Schneider, connected its new, roof-mounted energy system to PSE’s electric grid in October. “PSE is proud to work with customers like Torr who are enthusiastic and committed to renewable energy,” said Gary Nomensen, PSE’s local government and community relations manager. “With solar energy becoming an increasingly valuable resource for our region, Puget Sound Energy strives to help customers interested in adding renewable-energy systems to their homes and businesses.” Torr’s solar-energy system will generate enough power, on average, to meet roughly half of the company’s electric energy needs. A 24-kW solar-power array in Western Washington can, on average, generate 100 percent of the net electricity needs of two typical homes. In addition to the solar installation, Lindstrom and Schneider have made other energy efficient upgrades to the Torr facility, including heat pumps with air-to-air thermal exchangers, fiberglass windows and doors, insulation, ductless heat pumps and an electric car charging station. The entire project began in July 2009 when Lindstrom started looking into energy efficient cooling systems as a result of several consecutive 100 degree days when the facility was unable to be cooled by opening doors and using fans to circulate air. Lindstrom noted the most important benefit of the solar array is the ability to provide a clean energy source for electric vehicles. “How do we supply power to the increasing number of electric vehicles without having to build more power plants?” asked Lindstrom. “By putting PV (photovoltaic) panels on big, flat, empty roofs like ours – it’s a way small businesses can give back to the environment.” Auburn Mayor Pete Lewis is supportive of solar power growth in the city. “The City of Auburn has been heavily engaged with its green community and is pleased to hear of yet another Auburn success story,” said Lewis. “Congratulations Torr Technologies.” “We receive tax credits and rebates with our solar installation, which help offset the cost,” said Lindstrom. “We also get a nice check from PSE for the energy we produce and send back to the grid. In addition to these direct monetary paybacks, we also get a more comfortable work environment and our project has created quite a buzz with our customers and suppliers.” There are various financial incentives currently available to PSE customers to help pay for residential or commercial solar installations. One provides customers with a 30 percent federal tax credit. The State of Washington also provides an incentive, administered by PSE under its Renewable Energy Advantage Program. This state incentive pays customers for every kilowatt of solar power they produce. The payments are based on a sliding scale that rewards customers for buying Washington-made solar components. The incentive payments range between 15 cents and 54 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh), depending on the system’s amount of made-in-Washington equipment. PSE’s “net metering” incentive, separate from the cash payments administered on behalf of the state, allows customers to amass bankable credits for any electricity they produce in excess of the electricity they consume. When electricity usage exceeds solar-energy production, as it does during the winter months, the customer can draw on those credits to help offset their normal PSE per-kWh cost of electricity. To date, 700 PSE residential and business customers have installed their own solar-energy systems and connected them to the utility’s grid. The total generating capacity from these customer-owned solar-power systems is just under 3 megawatts – about 40 percent of Washington state’s total solar-power production. PSE operates the single largest solar-power installation in Washington, a 500-kW system at the utility’s Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility east of Ellensburg. In addition to solar power systems, another 37 PSE customers have their own wind-power or micro-hydro renewable energy systems connected to the utility’s grid. The growth in residential and small-business renewable energy systems (including solar, wind and micro-hydro) is evident across PSE’s service area: Island County – 71 Customers looking to add solar-power systems or other renewable energy systems at their home or business can call a PSE Energy Advisor at 1-800-562-1482, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or visit PSE.com. About Puget Sound Energy: # # # |
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