Recently Solora Solar (with offices in Issaquah and Yakima) has worked on a significantly important project for particular market segment: the farming community in central Washington. Solora Solar has recently completed one of the largest commercial system in Central Washington, 112kW (DC) system in Wapato, Washington for Green Acres Farms, LLC. Green Acres Farms has recently built a new 250,000 ft² hop Kiln facility for their Hops operation, building roof has perfect Southern exposure, which provides a perfect opportunity for them to go solar, reduce their energy cost and claim their energy independence. The system is approximately 112kw (DC) with 437 Trina solar monocrystalline solar modules. This system will qualify for $5000/year of production cash incentive, 30% federal tax incentive and will generate just under 90% of customer current energy need with approximate half a million dollars of saving over next 25 years. In addition, system will qualify for MACRS accelerated depreciation, with system payback between 5-6 years. System will cover roughly 9,000 ft² of the total roof area. Significant positive impact on environment by reducing Green House Gas emission 2,484 tons of CO2 over next 25 years.

3400 Capitol Boulevard still looks like any other office building in Tumwater when viewed from the street. However it’s 48 panel solar array makes it unique to every office building around. Owned by Renee Ries, whose business Fairchild Record Search is the main tenant, this building has undergone quite the journey.

The Snohomish School District has included two 100 kW photovoltaic arrays as part of recently-constructed projects, Riverview Elementary School and Machias Elementary School, designed by NAC|Architecture with Hargis Engineers. Both arrays are now operating, providing the District with some relief on its energy bills from Snohomish PUD.

Artisan Electric’s first installation of 2012 was a BIPV (Building Integrated Photovoltaic) 5.8 kW made-in-Washington system, using 30 Silicon Energy (SiE) 195 Watt Cascade Series modules and the new SiE5300 inverter. The system is installed as the roof of a horse stable owned by Steve Brown and family on Vashon Island, WA.

Stone Hedge, a 5,500 square foot home is currently connected to the largest residential grid tied Solar array in Thurston County. Once the contract was signed on August 8th, it was a scramble for workers from Sunset Air Inc. in Lacey to get the 23 KW project completed in time for the 2011 South Sound Solar tour on October 1st.