Seattle City Light and the Seattle Aquarium will install a 49 kW solar array this fall as part of the utility's Community Solar and Green Up programs. The PV project will cover much of the south side of the aquarium's roof.
City Light says most of the capacity will go to customers who want to buy solar power through its Community Solar program. The rest of the panels are being installed as a demonstration project through the utility's voluntary Green Up renewable energy program with the electricity supplying the aquarium. Solar panels for the project are being purchased from Silicon Energy of Marysville, Wash.
‘Adding more solar to our community's clean energy portfolio along with hydroelectric and wind power is one more way Seattle City Light serves as a good steward for our environment,’ says City Light General Manager and CEO Jorge Carrasco. ‘With this project, our customers now have a new opportunity to directly purchase renewable solar electricity even if they can't install panels at their homes or businesses.’
City Light says each 24 watt unit of the solar installation will cost $150. Customers can buy up to 125 units. Participants receive credit on their City Light bills for their portions of the solar panels' output through 2020 along with all state production incentives.
Together, those credits amount to $1.15 per kWh. City Light estimates that participants will receive more than $150 worth of electricity and production incentives for each unit purchased by the end of their agreements.
