Free. I like free. Few things better than (almost) free electricity.
Growing up, if the toy moved or made noise the little circuits needed batteries. Our house had one, maybe two, good sets of rechargeable double As. Lithium ion cells that drink via a USB straw are the standard for everything from iPhones to wireless earbuds now. Tech users can plug devices into the wall, car dash or a portable power bank as the main recharge resources.
The last of those options is becoming my favorite after receiving a power bank for Christmas that can be fueled by solar panels covering one rectangular side or a USB cord. Since it was a gift and I can set the bank in the sunshine every day (it even garners some charge on cloudy days) that means free juice for my smartphone. Unfortunately, I am still finding the balance of how fast the sun charges versus how fast the bank charges the phone. To try and avoid using the kitchen outlet I am attempting to find the balance of the charge I need from my vehicle to “stay off the grid.” Almost had it this week.
Solar is an exciting renewable energy resource. Unlike wind, there are no gigantic moving parts to threaten birds. Power companies do not need a river to turn turbines, only square footage to place the panels. No landfill or cow pie digester to build and maintain for methane. Don’t have a hotspot to tap for geothermal? No problem, the sun will come out tomorrow.
Yesterday on our Keep Alliance Beautiful curbside route of about 80 home/business stops, I thought about the two houses with solar panels on the roof. That is 2.5 percent of this small slice of our community that gets at least some of their electricity needs from above. For my home it penciled out to right at nine years before a potential solar system would pay for itself.
A residence-based solar system is not in the budget for everybody even if the environmental benefits are tempting. However, Box Butte County residents should know that renewable energy has been part of their community energy sources for years, including solar.
In the 21st Century both Alliance and Hemingford have moved from buying electricity generated only by coal- and natural gas-fired plants. Solar is among the most recent sources in the towns’ respective portfolios.
Hemingford was the first of the county’s two incorporated towns to host its own solar farm. According to an article posted on the Star-Herald website by Ledger Editor Kay Bakkehaug, the Hemingford Solar Project became operational on Sept. 9, 2020. Located near the fairgrounds and golf course, the farm’s 3,200 panels generate one megawatt (alternating current) — enough to power 250-275 homes — with inverters to connect to the grid, as described at a Village Board meeting by installers GenPro Energy Solutions.
Hemingford owns its own utilities and is one of 10 Nebraska communities with GenPro solar farms. Scottsbluff is another. The largest city in the Panhandle completed the second phase of its own solar farms nearly a year ago at a capacity of 4.375 Mw. The first was operational in 2017.
Alliance considered a local solar system two years ago though declined primarily due to high bids. As discussed at the city council’s Jan. 19 meeting, our community is one of several taking part in a statewide request for proposal (RSP) for a new solar farm. The RSP is by invitation and does not mean a commitment — city council members have the option to approve or reject bids as they decide whether to move forward. Randy Waggener, city finance director, explained Alliance obtains its electricity through Western Area Power Administration (WAPA) and Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska (MEAN). Power from the later, for instance, has included more renewable sources in its portfolio over the years. MEAN is working with Alliance on the RFP. In 2020, according to Sarah Jones at MEAN, the city’s energy sources did not include solar, rather the mix was: fossil fuels 55%, nuclear 12%, hydro 25%, wind 7%, landfill gas 1%.
Hundreds of county residents live in the country on Panhandle Rural Electric Membership Association (PREMA) lines. Ryan Reiber, general manager, provided data on the solar commitment of the cooperative where they get electricity. Tri-State currently generates 85 Mw from utility-scale solar photovoltaics. The cooperative plans to add 735 Mw from solar by 2024 and an additional 950 Mw between 2024 and 2030.