First U.S. Solar Highway Installation Starts in Oregon

Governor Ted Kulongoski, with transportation and utilities officials, broke ground on Thursday on the all-Oregon project.

"Before the year is over, this ground will hold the nation’s first Solar Highway project, and Oregon will make history using the power of the sun to light this interchange," said Governor Kulongoski. "More importantly, this project will represent a new era for energy in Oregon."

The project is the result of collaboration with Portland General Electric, US Bank, and the Oregon Department of Transportation, and the materials and installation will be provided by Oregon companies.

"It will represent a step forward toward our vision of an energy independent Oregon - and it will represent the endless opportunities before us to chart this course of clean, reliable and renewable energy for our state," the governor said.

An artist's concept of the solar installation in Tulatin, Oregon (Image courtesy ODOT)

Electricity for the highway interchange is provided by PGE and the added solar power will be handled through a net metering arrangement. The solar panels will produce electricity during the day, supplying power onto the PGE grid, and PGE will return an equivalent amount of power at night to light the interchange.

"PGE is committed to developing and promoting more solar power in Oregon," said PGE President and chief executive Peggy Fowler. "We appreciate the innovative approach the Governor and ODOT are taking to support our solar industry and make Oregon first in solar highways."

Solar panels on highway rights-of-way, shoulders, poles and safety rest areas have been used in Germany and Switzerland for more than 20 years, but until now they have not been used that way in the United States.

"This could be a perfect way to take something we own - the right-of-way - and realize multiple value out of it," said Allison Hamilton, project director with the ODOT Office of Innovative Partnerships. "It's also a great way to help us reduce our carbon footprint."

In 2007, Oregon passed a law establishing a Renewable Portfolio Standard that requires the state to supply 25 percent of its electricity needs from new renewable sources by 2025.

Governor Kulongosky also directed the Oregon government to become 100 percent powered by renewable resources.

This first solar highway demonstration project will help the Oregon's solar industry to grow.

The project will be designed, constructed and installed by SolarWay, a solar energy engineering, procurement and construction consortium consisting of four Oregon firms - Aadland Evans Constructors, Inc. of Portland as the general contractor; Moyano Leadership Group, Inc. of Salem as the project manager and design leader; Advanced Energy Systems of Eugene as the solar power specialty designer and installer, and Good Company of Eugene as the community and sustainability specialist.

SolarWorld AG of Hillsboro will supply the solar panels, and PV Powered, Inc. of Bend will supply the inverter.

The 104-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system - covering about 8,000 square feet will produce about 112,000 kilowatt hours a year, or 28 percent of the 400,000 kilowatt hours used to light the interchange. The $1.3 million project is expected to be completed and online in December 2008.

DOT is not permitted by law to generate more electricity than it uses and sell that electricity at a profit.

This is not of immediate concern, however, the agency says on its website, since an estimated 20 miles of solar installations on the right of way will be needed to offset ODOT’s annual electrical use of 45 million kilowatt hours used for signals, illumination, buildings, ramp metering and more, at a cost last year of more than $4 million.

To find out more about the project, click here.

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2008. All rights reserved.