Solar Electric Systems and the Production Incentive Program

On May 25, 2011 (Wednesday), between 7 and 9 pm, Phil Lou, the solar energy specialist from the Washington State University Energy Program, will deliver information about solar electric systems and the Renewable Energy System Cost Recovery Program (aka Production Incentive Program) at the Hal Holmes Center located at 209 N. Ruby St. Ellensburg, WA 98926.  This event is free and open to the public.

Signed into law in 2005, Washington State Senate Bill 5101 established a production incentive for homeowners, businesses and local governments that install PV power, wind power or anaerobic digesters. Incentives are based on the amount of electricity produced. The incentive rate depends on project type, technology type and where the equipment was manufactured. Extra incentives are available for solar generating systems that use components manufactured in Washington.

Phil Lou has experience in the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry – including the design, consultation and installation of PV systems. He has also installed solar thermal systems, and performed residential energy audits and weatherization. He developed curriculum for – and has taught part time in – the Clean Energy Technologies Program at Shoreline Community College.

Technical assistance is available through WSU’s Energy Library at www.energy.wsu.edu including the recently published document, Solar Electric System Design, Operation and Installation: An Overview for Builders in the U.S. Pacific Northwest in 2009 (www.energy.wsu.edu/Documents/ SolarPVforBuildersOct2009.pdf).

For details about this event, please contact Thembi Borras at 509-925-2701 or thembi@mcn.org. 

This event is co-sponsored by the Central Washington Chapter of the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild and the Ellensburg Public Library.  The Northwest EcoBuilding Guild is a 501(c)(3) community of builders, designers, suppliers, homeowners, and partners concerned with ecological building in the Pacific Northwest.  To learn more about the Guild or to become a member go to http://www.ecobuilding.org/join.