The Central Electric Community Solar project is complete, using 700 photovoltaic panels to convert clean, renewable energy from the sun into electricity for CEC members!<\/p>\n
Members of Central Electric and the general public are invited to attend the project\u2019s official dedication ceremony Thursday, Jan. 21, at 1:30 p.m. \u00a0Members of the CEC board of directors will \u201cflip the switch,\u201d the final step to interconnecting the 200,000-watt photovoltaic system with the cooperative\u2019s electrical distribution system. Refreshments will be served.<\/p>\n
With that action, solar-generated electricity will begin flowing directly to CEC members for the first time, officially establishing the project as the largest community solar project in Oregon. Its annual production will create enough carbon-emission free energy to serve the electricity needs of approximately 18 CEC residential members. Additionally, the project will help feed the growth of solar energy, ultimately making it more economically competitive with traditional energy sources. The project has the potential to grow its generating capacity to 500,000 watts, depending on the rate of increase in the project\u2019s member participation.<\/p>\n
In 2016, Central Electric will be promoting the project throughout Central Oregon, sharing the story of its forward-looking stance for meeting tomorrow\u2019s energy needs. We also will be promoting the opportunity for co-op members to participate in the project\u2019s success by acquiring subscriptions to the energy produced by the solar panels or by enrolling in the long-established Green Power program. (learn more at www.cec.coop\/communitysolar<\/a>)<\/p>\n Central Electric is the only utility in Oregon to take the innovative approach to building a solar energy project through the use of two separate but related voluntary funding programs.<\/p>\n