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:

Wildberry Farm, 1 KW, Port Townsend, 2004

This project is very dear to our hearts, since Wildberry Farm is the home of the Cochrane Family. We completed this array the day before the 2004 Solar Home Tour, commencing a tradition of last-minute installations at our own property in order to use them as examples and educational tools. In this picture Holly is 1 year old and already preparing for her second Solar Home Tour. This barn is dates back to the 1920’s when this land was originally split off from Yep Suey’s Dairy and became a separate farm. It had been sinking and settling into the ground and in 2003 we had raised the barn and poured a slab underneath. The southern wing is newly rebuilt stalls, and the first grid-tied pv array is 6 Sharp 165 watt pv modules, on a SunnyBoy 1800. Humble beginnings – the old garage seen to the right has been demo’d and a new addition to the home occupies that present space. See subsequent solar installations at Wildberry Farm here.

by Andy Cochrane | Jul 1, 2014

Stafford-Davis Residence, 2.2 KW, Port Townsend, 2004

Port Townsend’s first tracker, this was also a battery-based system using a Xantrex SW-2548 and the special GTI interface to make it grid-interactive. Architect Chris Stafford was a leader in implementing many ecological building technologies.

by Andy Cochrane | Jul 1, 2014

Dumenil Residence, 3 KW, Port Townsend, 2004

This home had many cutting edge energy efficient aspects in addition to the grid-tied pv system.

Andy and Steve beginning to have confidence this crazy idea is going to work.

by Andy Cochrane | Jul 1, 2014

Doughty Residence, 3 KW, Port Townsend, 2003

Lee Doughty was the first person in Jefferson County to have Power Trip Energy set up a grid-tied pv system at his home. We were not contractors at this point, and had Lee hire Puget Sound Solar to expertly perform this installation. The installation used 18 Sharp 165 watt poly-crystalline modules and an SMA SunnyBoy 2500 inverter.

In 2006, Lee had us increase the size of the system. Lee also journeyed to Belleveue, into the very heart of the beast, to meet with a VP at PSE who was in charge of the billing statements and explain how they were unclear for grid-tied pv customers. Eventually, PSE has simplified and clarified their statements, and all utilities should look to PSE’s example as to how to provide a statement.

by Andy Cochrane | Jul 1, 2014