City to 'Power Up' Community Center Solar Array July 23

Mayor Bruce Bassett, City Staff, and key stakeholders will formally activate the first City-owned solar array on the Island on Tuesday July 23, at 3 p.m. at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center. 

Built with grant money from Puget Sound Energy (PSE) and citizen donations, the 22-panel installation will produce approximately 4468 kilowatt hours of electricity per year, using solar panels and electrical inverters made in Washington State.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Mercer Island Community and Event Center will open with speeches from the Mayor and City Staff, and include an open-house celebration hosted by key community members involved with the project.  Mercer Island's success in meeting Puget Sound Energy's Green Power Challenge, to encourage adoption of renewable energy, led to a $30,000 challenge grant for the solar project.  In 2012, a citizen-based Green Ribbon Commission persuaded an additional 250 homes and businesses to sign up, increasing enrollment on the Island by 55%. Area residents supportive of solar power donated an additional  $5,500 towards the project.

"This installation would not have been possible without the participation of many key members of our community, and I look forward to seeing more clean, green energy sources adopted Island-wide," said Mayor Bruce Bassett.  He added "As a community, we need to take additional steps toward reducing the Island's carbon footprint."

The installation will earn credit on the Community Center's electric bill, and will generate approximately $2,500 per year in revenue under the Washington State Production Incentive Program.  This income will be invested in additional energy-efficiency measures.

The solar installation is just one component of a much broader City effort to address greenhouse gas impacts of both government operations and local residents.  Example of other programs include:  improving vehicle fleet efficiency, implementing energy-saving measures in City buildings, promoting green building standards, supporting the expansion of electric vehicles, and sustainability outreach programs.  Collectively, these actions will help steer the City towards meeting a 2007 resolution by the City Council to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80% below 2005 level s by the year 2050.