La Conner considers more 'green' power

La Conner’s Maple Hall could be sporting an array of solar panels by next summer, if the town approves a contract with Glacier Energy, Inc.

Kevin Maas, the principal of Glacier Energy, made a presentation to the Town Council last week, proposing to build a community solar project on the roof of Maple Hall, which would eventually generate electricity and lower the town’s energy bill.

The idea for green energy is not new for the town — there is a photovoltaic power installation at the wastewater treatment plant, helping to lower the energy costs of that facility.

Maas, with his brother Daryl, founded Farm Power Northwest, which has built five facilities in Washington and Oregon that generate electricity from cow manure. The Maas brothers are Skagit Valley locals, and the first Farm Power anaerobic manure digester went into service near Rexville about four years ago.

Now Kevin Mass has branched out into solar energy with Glacier Energy, specializing in putting solar arrays on public buildings at no cost to taxpayers or local governments.

He explained that Glacier can qualify for federal grants and can line up investors who fund the $80,000 solar projects. The investors get their money back and earn a return on their investments quickly because they receive federal tax credits for energy investments and sell the electricity generated back to the utility company at very attractive rates.

After about five and a half years, the project has paid for itself and paid the investors. At that point, the energy-producing solar project is turned over to the town at no cost. Then the town would have another 20 years or so of electricity generation, which will help cut its power costs for Maple Hall.

Mass said, his company would technically be leasing the roof space on Maple Hall, which would legally give Glacier a place to put its solar panels.

Meanwhile, the town would go along until 2020, paying its electricity bills as usual, and then, when the solar array is turned over to it, reap the reward of lower bills when it owns the array and power it generates.

Mass told the council that Maple Hall would be right for about a 15-kilowatt array, which is about three times the size of an array to power a house.

He said he hopes to have a contract for the Town Council to consider within the next few weeks, and if approved, the panels could be installed in the spring.

Glacier has already installed a community solar project on the Anacortes Middle School gym and is considering more projects at the Anacortes Police Station and at Edison Elementary School.

Investors interested in signing on for the Maple Hall project or future solar arrays can contact Maas at 360-770-9212.