Solar options and meter reading technology featured at HEA

Home solar options and new technology to monitor usage were hot topics at the Highline Electric Association annual meeting Tuesday, March 21, at the Phillips County Event Center.
     HEA General Manager Mark Farnsworth said that renewable energy will continue to be a major topic of conversation, having been discussed by the co-op for the last 10 years.
    In addition to offering members green power credits, rebates and the ability to net meter, HEA is also providing the option of a do-it-yourself solar array kit for installation behind a meter. “You will need a licensed electrician to connect the solar array to your electrical system, but otherwise you can set it up yourself,” said Farnsworth.
    The kit is low voltage for safe installation and will be available for purchase with financing options to be paid off in 10 years. The output from the solar array will offset the energy portion of a member’s HEA bill.
    Farnsworth said at the meeting that HEA planned to install a solar array kit at the office Wednesday, March 29, so members could inspect the array.
    Highline is also working with the Rocky Mountain Institute and five other cooperatives to acquire utility scale solar and community solar, aggregating 16.75 MW of solar among the cooperatives. The arrangement lowers the cost for each co-op.
    “Highline is not committed to purchasing any solar project if we do not believe that it is financially feasible,” said Farnsworth. Within the requirements contracted with Tri-State, HEA can purchase up to 5 percent of its needed energy from renewable energy, but Farnsworth emphasized that the use of renewable energy must make financial sense to Highline and its members.
    Two goals related to renewable energy are to have a solar project that will provide savings to members over the next 20-25 years, and to provide an option for community solar to members who want to purchase renewable energy but can’t have or don’t want a solar array behind their meter.
  

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