Greening the globe one energy grid at a time: solar reserve farms

Solar energy captured by photovoltaic (PV) technology, is a clean, sustainable, environmentally friendly, and limitless source of energy--for as long as the sun exists.

Energy from the sun light hitting the surface of the Earth during a forty minute period is equal to one year of global energy consumption.

Appropriately, solar farms are becoming a more viable option for capturing, storing, and dispensing this renewable energy source, as the cost of materials and manufacturing of solar panels continue do decrease.

The need for weaning the world off fossil fuel consumption has never been greater. The effects of global warming are becoming more apparent every year as the planet is threatened by increasing greenhouse gases.

Major glaciers are melting, many global water sources are in jeopardy, wildlife extinctions are being pushed to the brink, extreme hot and cold weather patterns are emerging, sea levels are rising, new and deadly diseases are on the rise, wildfires are increasing, and national security is facing a whole new set of challenges.

The previous US administration did not see global warming as an urgent Threat. So, the Obama administration has taken measures to get back into the race to urgently stem what could be catastrophic results for the planet. Renewable energy in every form is being explored and solar is a leading option.

One such solar farm being planned in Washington State is known as the Teanaway Solar Reserve. It will be located 80 miles east of Seattle near Cle Elum; an area that gets 300 days of sun per year. But, even on cloudy days, PV solar can provide 25% of normal output.

Senator Maria CantwellMaria Cantwell, Senator Patty MurrayPatty Murray, and Rep. Jay InsleeRep. Jay Inslee are very enthusiastic about the planned project. Here is what Senator Murray had to say in a recent press release:

"This project is more than just an energy creator, it's a jobs creator. The proposed Teanaway Solar Reserve would create hundreds of new jobs from the investment of hundreds of millions of dollars in Kittitas County," said the senator.

"With our state's unemployment rate at over nine per cent, it's more important than ever that we work to attract investments that will create clean energy jobs. Bringing more clean energy jobs to our state will provide laid-off workers and young people the chance to find family wage positions that are built for the 21st Century economy.”

Teanaway representatives have put in a permit application to Kittitas County to build a 75-megawatt plant that will include 400,000 solar panels on 900 acres of former logging land. It will produce enough energy to power 45,000 homes. The cost is estimated at more than $300 million and will be funded by a privately held company.

The solar farm’s managing director is environmental entrepreneur and Kirkland, Washington resident; Howard Trout.

“The Teanaway Solar Reserve represents an example of the ideal 21st century business. One that benefits individuals, the community and the planet at the same time,” said Trott.

According to the Teanaway web site, the reserve will be sited on a south-facing slope of previously logged land. The panel arrays will be spread through out 900 acres, leaving swaths of greenbelt and native vegetation between the solar installations.

Solar reserves have many advantages over wind farms, because they have no direct impact on wildlife and are less intrusive visually. However, the most glaring and optimistic difference between benign solar panels and whirling blades on wind towers, is they don’t injure or kill prairie birds or raptors.

An abundance of solar energy would also reduce the need for hydroelectric dams on numerous Washington Rivers, which have been blamed for decades of decreasing Chinook salmon populations.

The Teanaway Solar Reserve is planned to start construction in the spring of 2010, with completion scheduled by late in the year 2011. Teanaway's 75 megawatts are in direct current, which will have to be converted into alternating current for the Northwest PSE power grid.

More solar farm reserves are being built or are in the planning stages around the globe than at any other time in history. From Amareleja, Portugal, to Frankfurt, Germany, the power of solar is quickly being recognized as a leading contender in the rush to find renewable and sustainable sources of energy.

According to Reuters, June 16, 2009, Frankfurt: a consortium of 20 plus companies, including Munich Re, Seimens, RWE and Deutsche Bank, plan to build a massive $553 billion solar farm in Africa. Few details were available except the energy captured by such a mega-reserve could provide power to all the homes in Germany and many more across Europe.

Furthermore, Munich Re executive Torsten Jeworrek said, “We want to start an initiative that would present concrete plans in the next two or three years to go forward.”

The United States, under the new leadership of the Obama administration, has a lot to catch up on regarding climate and energy if the president intends to take a leadership role at the climate meeting this December in Copenhagen.

If the US senate doesn’t pass a strong climate and energy bill—something with more teeth in it than the anemic bill passed by the house—America just might be left in the dust as other countries recognize the dangers of complacency and embrace the advantages capturing the sun’s rays to green the globe one grid at a time.

* Copyright DelilahStarling 2009 *