Port Townsend Solar

Port Townsend is the home of Power Trip Energy, and the community has a well-earned reputation as a hotbed of solar installations – we’ve installed more solar power systems in Port Townsend than just about anywhere else. Solar works well in PT; the North OIympic Peninsula averages approximately 3.5 hours of full sun per day. That is about 70% of the sun resources of southern California. This makes grid-tied solar installations very popular here. Power Trip Energy has installed many solar PV systems in Port Townsend over the years; here are a few of our latest projects:

Donaldson Residence, 2 KW Sunpower Addition (9 KW Total Array), Port Townsend, May 2024

We originally installed a 6.7 KW Sunpower array in 2017, which provided about two thirds of this home’s electrical use. The client was also working to improve the efficientcy of this charming old Uptown Port Townsend home. Recently the client added a ductless heat pump for the main floor, which will decrease the energy consumption due to some existing baseboard heating which will no longer be used. At the same time, the client added 2.1 KW of new Sunpower with the goal of reaching net zero. This is a common process for us as our clients work to reduce energy use both from the top down and from the bottom up. We are happy to be able to help our clients work towards creating all of their own power with home grown, clean, rooftop solar.

by Andy Cochrane | Jun 21, 2024

Blue Heron Middle School, 100 KW, Port Townsend, 2023

This was a very special project, since this middle school in Port Townsend is where most of our kids went and some of the Power Trip Energy kids are currently attending 6th through 8th grade. This was the second project on which we have been fortunate to work with UMC, from Lynnwood, WA, which is serving as an ESCO (Energy Services Company) for Port Townsend School District. If you are managing a large commercial or public facility, you would be well-served to consult with UMC to find available grants and help prioritize money and energy saving projects.

We worked very hard to give our school district the best project possible for a very good price. It was a privilege to install this project, and it has also been fun to be able to speak with some of the kids about it. It will help our school keep its energy costs lower on obviously tight budgets, for decades to come. For this project we used Maxeon PV modules, which came with a 40 year warranty!