May 15, 2002—Solid Ground Electric of Philomath, Oregon helped make Salem, Oregon the first state capitol in the nation to use a renewable source of energy. As part of an Earth Day project to light the golden pioneer atop the Oregon Capitol Building, Solid Ground Electric tapped its own resources in renewable energy projects to shine light on an important issue. Salem is the nations first state to use its Capitol building to generate power from the sun.
A team of workers installed sixty panels above the west wing of the Capitol. Each panel uses photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight into electricity three times the amount required to light the 23-foot-tall Oregon Pioneer statue atop the rotunda. Of the 234,000 kilowatt-hours the project will generate in 30 years, 150,000 kilowatt-hours will feed into the PGE power grid, and the remainder will be fed back to the Capitol for nighttime lighting of the Oregon Pioneer. Solid Ground Electric donated its time in working on the Capitols lighting project.
The lighting project formed as a partnership between the Independent Electrical Contractors of Oregon, which represents the states merit shop electrical contractors, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 280, which represents union contractors.
Oregon boasts low-interest loans and credits against taxes to encourage individuals and businesses to install photovoltaic systems, solar water and space heating, and other forms of renewable energy or conservation.
For more information, contact the Independent Electrical Contractors (IEC).
