Puget Sound Energy touts alternative energy successes

Puget Sound Energy is getting a larger amount of its energy from alternative sources.  That’s the word from Andy Wappler (yes, that Andy Wappler).

Wappler told the monthly forum of the Lacey Chamber of Commerce, Wednesday,  that wind farms in Eastern Washington, are producing enough energy to serve 100,000 homes.

Making it somewhat easier to get to market, according to Wappler, is that transmission lines are already in place because of hydro power from the Columbia River and Snake River dams.

Wappler told the 200 Lacey business owners that despite the recession, demand for power continues to rise in PSE’s service area.   “Twenty years ago the average home had 3 plug in appliances.  Now we have as many as 25 devices.  That helps to create demand,” he said.

Because of the increased demand, PSE doesn’t have any excess power to sell to other systems, as it had in the past.

Wappler pointed out that 2009 set some record useages.  In August we had temperatures as high as 105 degrees, he said.  That set a record for summer use.  Last month we had temperatures in the single digits.  That set winter record power useage.

In additon to wind, PSE is also using solar, hydro, natural gas and even bio-mass to generate energy.

Last year, some 500 PSE customers added solar panels to their houses to take advantage of incentives.  The State of Washington has an incentive to pay residential customers for any excess power they produce from solar panels.

He said that any business or residential customers who are interested in solar energy can get more information at the PSE web page.