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The project tackles two costly challenges at once.
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An unusual clean energy project in Southern Oregon is nearly ready to start delivering power in a way Oregon has never seen before.
Oregon’s first floating solar array is close to going live, promising lower utility bills for local residents and helping conserve precious water.
According to Oregon News Service, Medford Irrigation District reservoir in Southern Oregon now hosts more than 1,700 solar panels mounted on floating platforms. The installation is intended to trim energy costs for the district, the city government, and about 60 households in Jackson County.
Before it begins operating at full capacity, the array, part of Oregon’s Community Solar Program, is finishing its last stage of testing. Farmers Conservation Alliance executive director Julie O’Shea said the project should be fully operational soon.
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ONS noted that the project tackles two costly challenges at once: rising electricity bills and water loss. O’Shea said the floating panels will curb evaporation from the reservoir and conserve more than 1.5 million gallons of water each year in a region where drought resilience is increasingly important.
Community solar also opens the door to cheaper power for people who cannot buy rooftop panels of their own. Kyle Petrocine, program manager at the Energy Trust of Oregon, told ONS, “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 added that low-income subscribers may qualify for reduced subscription rates and save as much as 40% on their power bills.
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To get started, just answer a few questions about your home — no phone number required. Within a day or two, EnergySage will email you the best local options for your needs, and their expert advisers can help you compare quotes and pick a winner.
People across Oregon can enroll online in community solar projects, pay a subscription fee, and then receive credits on their utility bills.
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O’Shea summed up the project’s potential: “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.”
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