WIND AND SOLAR TOGETHER IN WASHINGTON STATE

Synergy: Combined action or cooperative action obtaining a result greater than that of the individual efforts.

Watch for New Energies working in support of one other. Solar and wind. Offshore wind and waves. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles running on biofuels. The greater result of the synergies: A Brave New World that has these things in it.

Northwest’s largest solar power site about to come on line
Mai Hoang, October 17, 2007 (Yakima Herald-Republic)

WHO
Puget Sound Energy (Roger Garratt, director of resource acquisition); EI Solutions (Alana Bobo, construction manager); Outback Power Systems (Gary Shaver, director of operations)

Most of the state of Washington and many other northern locations have insolation enough to profit from solar energy development. Especially with the newest solar technologies. (click to enlarge)

WHAT
The Wild Horse solar power project, the Wild Horse Wind Farm

WHEN
Puget Sound Energy aims to generate 10% of its electricity from alternative sources by 2013.

WHERE
- The Wild Horse facilities are on Whisky Dick Mountain, 13 miles east of Ellensburg in central Washington.
- Puget Sound Energy is based in Bellevue, Washington, EI is from California and Outback is from Arlington, Washington.

WHY
- Wild Horse Wind Farm has 127 turbines and a capacity of 29 megawatts.
- The Wild Horse solar power project will have a 450 kilowatt capacity and 50 kilowatts more will be added in 2008. (2400 solar panels). It is the biggest solar energy facility in the Pacific Northwest.
- 35 jobs were created by the solar facility’s installation.
- EI installed the panels, Outback installed the inverters.

The Wild Horse Wind Farm has synergistically added solar power. (click to enlarge)

QUOTES
- Garratt: “…solar power will not compete with but will complement wind energy. Solar modules generate more energy, not surprisingly, during the day when the sunshine peaks and when demand for electricity is higher, while wind turbines generally gather more energy at night…the project could generate additional large-scale facilities or encourage more solar-power installations at homes and businesses, fueling the state's developing solar-power industry…”
- Shaver: "I think it's a good starting point. I think it's a good demonstration site…We're pleased that Puget Sound Energy chose our module for such a visible demonstration of solar (energy)…With solar, you can become your own utility…"
- Bobo, who lived at the sight during installation in a solar-powered trailer: "It's just a clean way to have power available wherever you go…"