Residents in Southern Oregon will soon receive energy generated by Oregon’s first floating solar panels through the state’s Community Solar Program.
More than 1,700 panels on floating platforms atop a Medford Irrigation District reservoir will generate power intended to cut costs for the district, the city and about 60 homes in Jackson County.
© PeterHermesFurian – iStock-1346531706
Julie O’Shea, executive director of the Farmers Conservation Alliance, said the project has several benefits.
“It’s helping people save money on energy bills, which is so critical right now, and at the same time, help generate revenue for the irrigation district, to help their modernization goals to be able to be more drought-resilient,” O’Shea said.
O’Shea said the floating solar panels also will help prevent evaporation from the reservoir, saving more than 1.5 million gallons of water per year. She said the panels are in their final phase of testing and should be fully operational next month.
Kyle Petrocine, program manager at the Energy Trust of Oregon, one of the administrators of Oregon’s Community Solar Program, said people can subscribe online to community solar projects across the state. Customers pay for a subscription and receive credits on their utility bills, lowering overall costs.
“It really enables access to the benefits of solar power for renters or maybe somebody who doesn’t have the means to invest in their own rooftop solar,” Petrocine said.
Petrocine said low-income subscribers can get discounted subscription rates and save up to 40% on their power bills. He said several similar projects are being considered in the Rogue Valley and other parts of Oregon.
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