Community Environment Government

Solar array in Purdy ready to start producing power

A new solar energy array at the old Purdy landfill is built and ready to go, pending Pierce County finalizing agreements with Peninsula Light Co.

The Pierce County Planning and Public Works Department paid for the array using a $2.3 million grant from the state Department of Commerce.

Construction wrapped up this spring and the solar panels are ready to begin generating electricity. The county and PenLight are negotiating interconnection and power purchase agreements. 

Contractors recently completed construction of a solar panel array at the site of the former Purdy landfill. Photo courtesy of Pierce County

“This project represents an unprecedented endeavor for both Pierce County and PenLight, so we are taking the time we need to review and get it right,” Pierce County Planning and Public Works spokesperson Michelle Kircher said in an email.

How much power? 

PenLight and the county expect the array to generate about 1,000 megawatt hours of power per year.

So how much is that? The county describes it as “enough to power approximately 100 homes, or to drive an electric car around the Earth 120 times.”

But it’s a relatively small share of the more than 600,000 megawatt hours PenLight buys from the Bonneville Power Administration every year, according to the utility’s Chief Resource Officer, Jacob Henry.

Still, the foray into locally produced solar on this scale is unique for PenLight. The utility completed a community solar project with Harbor History Museum in 2015 that generates about 60 kilowatt hours. 

Contractors work on the new solar power array at the former Purdy landfill. Construction is complete and the array will soon begin providing electricity through Peninsula Light Co. Photo courtesy of Pierce County

Proceeds from sales

Under the terms of the state grant, Pierce County will use proceeds from the sale of power to create a community benefit program for the Key Peninsula. The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department designated the KP as one of six Communities of Focus, where residents “experience greater challenges to earn an income that’s not just livable but allows them to thrive.”

The county will ask community members to help decide exactly what form that community benefit program will take. Kircher said some possibilities include energy assistance (i.e., helping with power bills), efficiency initiatives like weatherization and energy independence projects. 

The county will “host workshops, distribute surveys, and conduct interviews to identify how the revenue should be used to ease energy burden, increase energy efficiency, and reduce pollution in Key Peninsula and beyond,” Kircher wrote. 

Why the site is good for solar 

The Purdy site works for a solar array for a number of reasons, including that it can’t be used for much else. 

The property at 14515 54th Ave. NW  was a landfill from 1941 to 1989. The state Department of Ecology removed the decommissioned dump from its hazardous sites list in 2017. 

However, the foot-thick layer of soil that covers the landfill must not be disturbed.  

The land slopes south, providing good exposure for the solar panels. And, despite our region’s reputation, “the Pacific Northwest receives more sunlight annually than Germany, the leading global user of solar,” according to Pierce County. The combination of long summer days and a relatively cool climate make for potentially efficient and effective solar power generation. 

Contractors recently completed construction of a solar panel array at the site of the former Purdy landfill. Photo courtesy of Pierce County

Climate Commitment Act

The grant that paid for the project came from revenues generated by the Climate Commitment Act, approved by the Legislature and then-Gov. Jay Inslee in 2021. The law sets an annual cap on greenhouse gas emissions by the state’s largest polluters, which declines over time. 

The state’s largest emitters can purchase “allowances” to offset their annual emissions. The state invests revenue from allowance sales into projects like the Purdy landfill. 

Washington state voters rejected an effort to repeal the program via a 2024 ballot initiative. 

Pierce County does not expect the solar array to interfere with operations at the transfer station and composting center, also located on the site of the former landfill.