Is NW solar going big time?

A big splash in local Puget Sound media this week with the announcement of a plan to build what could be the world's largest solar power plant right in our state. Here, in Washington? I know, it sounds more like a punchline than an energy plan, but the truth is we have a pretty fair amount of sun in our region. You just have to know where to look.

If you spend most of your time west of the Cascades, you're in a very different climate than the weather world that is anywhere east of the summit at Snoqualmie, Stevens or any other mountain pass. Our Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility (pictured here) is the largest solar array currently in the Northwest, and works well in part because the Cascades block the incoming clouds from the Pacific.

Eastern Washington gets far more sun than the West side of the state, with about 300 sunny days a year. But solar works in the West, too, as the solar array we helped support at South Whidbey High demonstrates on this live link.

And interestingly, while we often think of the Southwestern U.S., which gets even more sun, as the best place for sun, the efficiency of solar panels can actually decline in extreme heat. That means a cooler, but still sunny, area such as Central and Eastern Washington, could have great potential.

Summer showers! (Efficient ones, too)

After a super 4th of July weekend, the timing has been perfect for a classic Puget Sound cooldown, with cloudy gray skies in the morning and even a little rain. Not enough precipitation to be measurable in a rain gauge (or at least at the National Weather Service recording station at SeaTac Airport) but a few precious drops to clear the air and dampen the lawn.

From May through early July we are on pace for a historically dry summer, and while we may not end up as the driest ever (still a long way to go for that title) there's no doubt we've seen very little rain compared to normal -- and normal is usually pretty dry at this time of the year.

At first glance, the dry spell may not have much of a connection to our work as a natural gas and electric utility, but water use and energy go hand in hand. Much of the water we use is heated through either natural gas or electricity, so being more efficient in how we heat that water -- and how much water we use in the first place -- is vital to the overall drive of energy conservation.

Here's an easy option for being water smart in this dry summer: a free, energy-efficient showerhead from PSE. It will save on your water bill, and your energy bill, and is practical for even the least-handy of home handypersons to install (and I assure you of this as an un-handy handyman myself!). It's also a good step for renters or others who may not be homeowners but who want to save energy, as the showerheads simply screw on and off and can be easily swapped out when you move out. (And landlords, I think putting these in would be my first step if I were in the property management business).

Summer sun will no doubt shine again, but in the meantime it's perfect weather to spend a few minutes in the bathroom upgrading to a low-flow showerhead that will save water, energy and money all through the year.