We would not have gotten to where we are today without the wonderful support from all of you. I would like to thank everyone who has shown support over the last year for our project, and especially thank those who came to the Jobs Rally and the hearing last week. Since opening our office on First Street in Cle Elum, we have had the opportunity to get to know many of you. You have welcomed us into this community, and we look forward to supporting you, your children, and the natural resources in the Teanaway.

Read the entire letter here.

WASHINGTON STATE FUTURE HOME TO ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR PROJECTS

Teanaway Solar Reserve Gets Permit

Cle Elum, WA – In a landmark decision for the City of Cle Elum, Kittitas County, Washington state and the nation, the Kittitas County Board of Adjustment last night approved a permit for Teanaway Solar Reserve (TSR). The 75-MW project, located 90 miles east of Seattle, will be one of the largest photovoltaic solar facilities in the world.

“With this decision, Kittitas County is in the forefront of the nation’s new renewable energy industry,” says Howard Trott, TSR’s Managing Director. “TSR’s vision to generate green jobs and energy is now a reality, and it marks the start of a new future for Kittitas County and Washington state.”

The five-member board ruled 4-to-1 in favor of issuing the permit. The decision was made after formal presentations by the Kittitas County Office of Community Development and the applicant, and public testimony both in favor and in opposition to the project. Support for TSR was visible, with a vast majority of the 200 attendees in favor of the project.

“This represents a monumental step forward for Kittitas County, and the Upper County in particular.” says Matt Morton, the City Administrator of Cle Elum. “The integrity, partnership and vision TSR has demonstrated will translate into investment in our communities, jobs for our working families and opportunities for our children. We are very pleased that the entire community continues to recognize the significance, value and potential of this environmentally responsible 21^st century technology here in Kittitas County. TSR thought we were the best location and the best community in the world for its investment, and we wholeheartedly agree!” The mayor of Cle Elum, the Cle Elum-Roslyn Chamber of Commerce, and the Economic Development Group of Kittitas County are among the many individuals and organizations that have supported the project.

In a unanimous vote earlier in the evening, the Board of Adjustment denied an appeal to TSR’s SEPA ruling, which had been issued by the Office of Community Development on July 15^th.

The evening began with a green jobs and industry rally at the County Fairgrounds in Ellensburg, where the hearing took place. Community members displayed signs with slogans like, “Jobs For Us” and “Power Local Jobs.”

TSR will bring more than 200 construction jobs and 35 permanent jobs to an economically depressed community about 90 miles east of Seattle. The project will also produce a significant revenue stream, generating more than $97 million in purchases of goods and services during construction, and more than $1.5 million annually in property tax revenues to support local schools, roads and hospitals.

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BRING ON THE SUN

BRING ON THE BUS

WHAT: Join other community members to rally for jobs on Wednesday, August 11^th.

WHEN: Buses will leave from Cle Elum Dairy Queen at 4:30 PM and return at 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00PM. Food will be provided. If you don’t want to ride the  bus, just meet us there!

DETAILS: It’s a good, old-fashioned rally. At 5:00 we’ll gather at the gazebo at the County Fairgrounds in Ellensburg in support of green jobs. At 6:00 the Board of Adjustment will meet to rule on TSR’s Conditional Use Permit. You are encouraged to stay and speak out.

WHY: In addition to generating clean, renewable energy, Teanaway Solar Reserve is geared up to bring more than 200 construction jobs and 35 permanent positions to the Upper County. The $300-350 million project will translate into $97 million in purchases of goods and services during construction and more than $1.5 million annually in property tax revenues once operational.

“The mine shut down, M.C. Miller closed down, the logging closed down. There’s no industry. Our biggest export here is our children. So what I’m trying to tell you is: this is just great. I’m beside myself.” – Charles Glondo, Mayor of Cle Elum

We’d like to thank Mount Peoh Productions, Chente Benavides and Jeff Jaeger, their staff and the volunteers for putting on a great event that we hope will continue in Cle Elum. Thanks to all the vendors and BBQers for great food as well. The rib-eating contest was especially fun and delicious. Thanks for coming by the booth and talking if you had the chance.

Go to our Updates page for Full Press Release and a copy of the County's MDNS document.

Some harbor hope that the Teanaway Solar Reserve, a solar project proposed for development on 900-plus acres in the Teanaway, will mean jobs and an economic boost for the Upper County.

Officials with Teanaway Solar Reserve LLC have said they hope to have the 400,000 panels needed for the project assembled in the Cle Elum area. (whole article here)

Our economic analysis projects the number of jobs TSR can bring to Cle Elum and the Upper County. TSR can be an economic engine for the Upper County with construction jobs, maintenance jobs (not to mention jobs a solar panel manufacturer can bring). The hope of this project is to make Kittitas County a center for renewable energy in Washington and possibly the US. New economies are emerging and the Upper County can be its home.

Teanaway Solar Reserve decision coming

More public review planned

June 29, 2010

An initial decision may come July 15 on the level of environmental impact the proposed Teanaway Solar Reserve project may create.

That determination, by Kittitas County consulting landuse planner Anna Nelson, will begin another round of public review of the project that proposes the installation of 400,000 photovoltaic (solar) panels at a 982-acre site four miles northwest of Cle Elum leased from the American Forest Land Co.

The review may lead to a public hearing, tentatively set for Aug. 11, on the project’s request to the Kittitas County Board of Adjustment for a conditional-use permit for construction and operation of the facility. The project is planned for a maximum generating capacity of 75 megawatts of electricity.

County Planner Dan Valoff said Nelson’s decision will likely list a limited number of environmental impacts expected to be created by the project.

Solar farm proponents then must take specific steps to significantly lessen those impacts to construct and   operate the solar facility.

Appeal period

Proponents of the estimated $300 million to $350 million project, a group of investors called Teanaway Solar LLC, plan to use 477 acres of leased land.

After a decision on the   project, individuals and groups have 10 working days to appeal the environmental impact declaration. The fivemember Board of Adjustment would hear and decide on any appeal.

When the environmental review of the project is complete, the Adjustment Board   will conduct a public hearing to scrutinize whether to issue a conditional-use permit.

The board can attach any number of conditions to a permit. The board also can turn down the permit or call for more work on the proposal.

What’s happened so far

The comment period on environmental impacts was lengthened on the project after Nelson called on the partnership to submit more information. The partnership later asked for more time to research and provide the requested data.

Public open house events also were conducted on the project. In addition, the proponent has submitted a supplemental permit application with more information.

Added review time also took place to allow the appointment of a technical advisory committee for the project, and for the committee to meet and work on recommended mitigation measures.

Jim Fossett at The Northern Kittitas County Tribune has more information on what plans TSR has after this process in his June 17 article:

Nonetheless, Meagan Walker, a public relations officer for Teanaway Solar Reserve, said she's pleased with progress so far.

"We hope we'll have the first decision, on the environmental checklist, soon," she said.

"When we clear the Board of Adjustment, with a Conditional Use Permit in hand, we'll move very quickly to start hiring locally, beginning with a job fair. At that point we'll announce the scope of the jobs we have to offer and how people go about applying for them. We are determined to hire locally."

You can read the whole article: TSR waiting for Green Lights - NKCT June 17. Be sure to check back with our announcements about the county's decision and the exact date for the public meeting with the Board of Adjustment.

“If key changes can be made to standard operating procedures, our research shows that large amounts of wind and solar can be incorporated onto the grid without a lot of backup generation,” said Dr. Debra Lew, NREL project manager for the study. “When you coordinate the operations between utilities across a large geographic area, you decrease the effect of the variability of wind and solar energy sources, mitigating the unpredictability of Mother Nature.”

These changes will not only reduce GHG emissions, but save utilities money.

The study also finds that if utilities generate 27 percent of their electricity from wind and solar energy across the Western Interconnection grid, it would lower carbon emissions by 25 to 45 percent, depending on the future price of natural gas. It would also decrease fuel and emissions costs by 40 percent.

Smart grid innovations and new technology will surely be added to our current grid system in the future, but with a few changes, the grid system can handle clean, renewable energy now!

NREL Press Release http://www.nrel.gov/news/press/2010/846.html

Download the 500 page study http://www.nrel.gov/wwsis

Germany continued its steady growth yet again, regaining its title as the largest PV market by installing 3,800 MW of new capacity in 2009. This represents a doubling of the 1,500 MW installed in 2008 and is attributable, in part, to the improved project economics resulting from the decline in module prices. This growth has caused the German government to pursue an additional mid-year cut in incentives in 2010 above and beyond what was already scheduled but the country is expected to remain the single largest market for PV in 2010.

Germany, a country that shares many climate and insolation characteristics with the US and Washington in particular, is continually the leader in PV Solar installation and continues to invest in these projects. Germany is an example of why solar can work in Washington.

Read more at www.seia.org

Huge increase in planned and under-construction PV grid size projects.

PV is getting ready to go big. Residential and commercial rooftop installations are expected to remain strong and the utility-scale PV is expected to grow significantly, with more than 6,000 MW in announced projects in the pipeline. With the Treasury Grant Program set to expire at the end of the year, many in the solar industry wish to meet the start-construction deadline of December 31, 2010. Most industry analysts expect another year of growth in the PV industry.

The rest of the country is ready to get in the game. Is Washington ready? This growing industry is poised to take off. The jobs and technological intellect that can be gleaned from TSR will be applied to projects all over the country and the world. This is a growing industry that is quickly establishing itself as a major player in energy production. This isn’t an industry that is going away. We need projects like TSR to develop home-grown energy generation.

Read the entire SEIA Report at www.seia.org