The solar panels will be buried in snow.

Snow will not interfere with solar production. During winter months, Cle Elum averages between 5 and 9 inches of snow depth.[1] At those levels, the snow will sit well below the solar panels, which will be on frames mounted 3-5 feet above the ground. Check out what they’re doing in Germany, one of the world’s leaders in PV solar generation and similar in climate to Cle Elum.

[1]According to the Western Regional Climate Center (wrcc@dri.edu) which works with NOAA and the National Weather Service to collect climate data.

Solar is meant for the desert.

Solar power can be generated virtually anywhere using phototvoltiac technology. There are some areas in the U.S. that have higher potential for solar generation, but the Cle Elum Ridge has a lot going for it. The proposed site of the Teanaway Solar Reserve is on a south-facing slope, and gets over 300 days of sun a year. There are no endangered species, no cultural artifacts, only 0.1 acres of wetlands and the property has been logged several times over the last century. Plus, the site is adjacent to an existing high-voltage transmission line, which saves the project hundreds of millions of dollars connecting to the grid.

My tax dollars are paying the cost of this project

A group of private investors is paying for the project. Earlier this year the federal government enhanced existing tax credits – similar to a mortgage deduction for your home -- for new renewable energy projects. After it has been built, the Teanaway Solar Reserve may be eligible to receive those credits.

The investors have a hidden agenda.

Someone has to go first and the team behind the Teanaway Solar Reserve is excited about leading the way. The idea behind the Teanaway Solar Reserve grew out of a commitment to renewable energy, an awareness that the U.S. lags far behind many countries in Europe and Asia in PV solar production and an understanding of its enormous potential. The goal of the project is produce renewable energy.

There’s no incentive to buy solar power.

There are lots of compelling reasons to invest in a photovoltaic solar project. Here are a few: By 2020, Washington State utilities are required by law to obtain 20% of their power from renewable resources, the very same PV technology that will be employed for the Teanaway Solar Reserve is readily transferable for residential, commercial and civic use and the price of solar panels is falling.

Project developers are working with solar manufacturers to locate a plant in Cle Elum. They are currently exploring potential relationships and opportunities for future PV solar applications.

The acreage and costs for the project will keep shifting upwards.

The project hasn’t changed, but our data has improved. When the project was first announced in mid-July 2009 it was estimated that the 75-megawatt project would occupy 400 acres and cost “north of $100 million”. Those estimates were based on product specifications provided by manufacturers for existing projects around the world.

By August 19, 2009 our engineers and economists had fine-tuned their reports and the Teanaway Solar Reserve officially filed its permit application with Kittitas County. The overall project footprint increased to 900 acres because the developers chose to avoid some portions of the site to minimize environmental impacts and to employ a technology that will track the sun through the course of the day. Tracking will help to maximize productivity but requires that panels be spaced further apart. If the panels were to be placed back-to-back they will only cover about 145 acres.

The current $300 million project cost estimate comes as no surprise to the developers who’ve had further conversations with solar manufacturers. The final project cost numbers will likely change again once