Jesse Wear, Regional Sales Manager, Itek Energy, Bellingham, WA
Thursday, November 17th at 12:30 PM, Port Townsend Yacht Club, 2503 Washington Ave, Port Townsend
This month’s Energy Lunch programming takes a closer look at developing the sun (or solar) part of the SW2 Energy in Jefferson County. More specifically we will continue our discussion from last month about larger community-based solar energy projects of 50 to 150 kW capacity or more. Taking this local development of solar energy to these higher, community-funded levels of power is a significant next step in the transition to local energy and local prosperity in Jefferson County. The bulk-purchase Solarize program of the Bonneville Environmental Foundation was discussed last month and solarizing available rooftops and other areas is a key component of the Wildpoldsried energiewende success story.
The development of local energy prosperity is the key purpose of the new Jefferson County Energy LLC (ELLC pronounced “Elsie”) that is now being organized by long-time local sponsors of the Energy Lunch Program. ELLC is working to avoid the negative financial impact of local solar development on public power utility operations by pairing new solar installations with new local high-value uses for intermittent solar electric power in transportation, 24/7 building power, thermal processes, micro-grid balancing, and green fuel production. An early practical example of high-value uses of solar-electric power is in the application of the entire output of a large solar array to the charging of a small fleet of regularly used electric vehicles where significantly higher prices per kWh can be paid. (Energy Lunch programming for next month features a presentation on Transportation Electrification)
The Key Speaker in November is Jesse Wear, Regional Sales Manager for Itek Energy in nearby Bellingham, WA. Itek Energy began producing high-efficiency solar modules and grid-tie inverters in its Bellingham WA factory in late 2011 and the company has grown to over 80 employees, large enough to meet solar needs on a national scale, but small enough to stay nimble and relevant in an ever-changing industry. Itek Energy has a second manufacturing facility in Minneapolis MN.
Mr Wear’s presentation will cover i) Itek Energy SE and HE solar PV modules; ii) Itek Energy Solectra Transformerless Inverters; iii) several community solar sites within the state of Washington, including Itek’s own 51 kW Brownfield site; iv) updated information on the Grow Community housing development in Bainbridge; v) opportunities for development of custom solar installations such as carports; vi) Itek Energy quality assurance testing that solar PV products are PID*-free; vii) Made in Washington Certification and the benefits of domestic manufacturig; viii) group purchasing and the benefits of community-scale development; ix) expected new developments in solar energy technologies.
The Key Speaker presentation this month will of great significance to all those in Jefferson County who are interested in taking the local development in solar energy to the next level.
The Jefferson County Energy Lunch Program is an avtivity of the new Jefferson County Energy LLC and is sponsored by Sunshine Propane, Alaska Power & Telephone Company, Huber’s Inn, Port Townsend Media, Power Trip Energy and the Port of Port Townsend. See earlier Key Speaker videos at: http://porttownsendmedia.com//energy/Energy Presentations.php
*PID – power losses fro Potential Induced Degradation of PV modules caused by current leakage.
