Brooks Solar Has First PV System To Produce Power For Chelan County PUD "SNAP" Program

On July 5th, 2001, Chelan County PUD employees arrived at the home of Brooks Solar, Inc. owners, Randy and Anne Brooks, to complete the final connection to the first photovoltaic system to produce power for Chelan County PUD's "SNAP Sustainable Natural Alternative Power" program. This program allows PUD customers to contribute money each billing cycle to support solar, wind, and micro-hydro energy production within Chelan County. These funds are then used to pay solar, wind, and micro-hydro energy producers up to $1.50 per kilowatt hour for their renewable energy. When PUD test equipment failed in their effort to insure the system met its UL certification, the hookup was delayed until July 11th, when PUD staff returned. Although PUD test equipment still could not complete their desired tests, enough testing was accomplished to show the system did indeed meet UL certification, and the system was connected to the utility.

The system consists of four BP-585 85 watt PV panels (will be expanded to twelve panels this fall), a Zomeworks passive solar tracker, a Trace SunTie 1500 inverter, fused disconnect, and standard meter wired to measure power produced.

Solar Power's Time Has Come

By Laurie Smith, World staff writer

CHELAN -- Renewable-energy consultant Randy Brooks is all set to blaze a trail for solar power production in Chelan County, with Uncle Sam following close behind.

Brooks' day in the sun -- when his little photovoltaic system begins feeding 300 watts into the Chelan County PUD power grid -- was supposed to be Thursday. But the PUD's senior distribution engineer, Seung Cho, delayed the hookup until further testing can be done in the coming week to ensure that it's safe. In anticipation of the PUD's new "green power" subscription program, Brooks, 50, of Chelan, invested about $4,500 to install solar panels and related equipment on the hillside behind his house overlooking the Columbia River.

Meanwhile, the U.S. government is planning to plaster the roof over the loading dock at the Wenatchee Federal Building with 154 photovoltaic (PV) panels, at an estimated cost of $65,000, sometime next month. "Photovoltaic" describes devices that convert light from the sun into DC, or direct current, electricity. A gizmo called an inverter then changes the charge to AC, alternating current, for household use.

The Wenatchee Valley's bountiful sunshine, along with the PUD's plans to award premiums to solar and wind power producers, inspired the federal project, said Michael Okoro, regional energy coordinator for the General Services Administration. The PV array will have a rated capacity of 10 kilowatts, enough to power an average all-electric home. In a third such project, the PUD itself plans to install a 9-kilowatt PV system atop the Eller-Fox Science Building at Wenatchee Valley College in August. That project is funded by a $43,000 grant from the Bonneville Environmental Foundation.

Despite the area's near-total reliance on hydropower, "we have an opportunity to make solar cost-effective here," said Jim White. As the PUD's senior energy services engineer, White designed the green-power program, which will connect people who want to produce solar energy with those who want to buy it. Surveys show "60 percent of our customers have asked for it," White said. Starting soon, they can help promote solar and wind power by paying extra on their electric bills. Customers' voluntary contributions will be used to pay independent green-power producers premiums estimated at 25 to 30 cents per kilowatt hour. At that rate, Brooks figures he can recoup his investment in eight years or so.

A retired National Parks ranger, Brooks has made a study of conservation and renewable energy ever since the first energy crisis in the 1970s. His advertising slogan for Brooks Solar Inc. is solar power for people. "Our mission is to get this technology working for people," he said. Its "time has come," Brooks said. "In fact, it's long overdue."

Here's how it works: Rays of sunlight strike the silicon wafer in the solar panels, Brooks said. Impurities in the silicon cause electrons to collect inside a fine grid of aluminum wires. The electrons then bounce from molecule to molecule, creating an electric current. Brooks' system passed a couple of safety tests run by Cho on Thursday. But Cho said he needed to come back with additional testing equipment to do further checking next week. Brooks said he's eager to make hay while the sun shines, but he doesn't mind waiting until everyone is satisfied that his setup is safe.

Renewable energy producers recently got a break from the Legislature, he noted. As of July 1, systems producing more than 200 watts of electricity were exempted from sales tax.