We are an electrical contracting firm, serving the Columbia River Watershed in both Oregon and Washington States. Our Renewable Energy/Solar Division specializes in on site power generation. Whatever your primary source of power – wind, solar, micro-hydro or methane – Hire Electric can help you put it to use.
Powering Your Future
Begin to make your renewable energy dreams come true with a site analysis from Hire Electric’s Solar Division. We can evaluate the solar and wind potential of your home or business and help put together your best option for taking advantage of the available renewable resources. Our analysis reports offer a detailed description of system components, potential output, available incentives and an installed cost proposal.
Click here to fill out our site analysis request form
What People Are Saying:
“Being on the cutting edge of this technology makes us feel like we are part of the solution – a producer, not just joe consumer. It gives us hope.” G. in Lyle, WA
“This is the best investment we could make at this time. I just can’t wait to expand our system and become totally energy independent. It’s such an empowering feeling” K. in Goldendale, WA
“We wanted to make a difference” W. in Milton Freewater, OR (86 years old)
“Bob Skinner spent hours on a site inspection and went over the contract choices in detail. Since we had the work done in late December, Bob made sure to complete the paperwork for us to turn in for 2007 taxes. When Jonathan Lewis and the work crew showed up they were personable and professional. We thoroughly enjoyed their company for the two days it took. They cleaned up after themselves, labeled equipment, and explained to us how the equipment worked, including the optional computer software and hardware we purchased. I would (and have) recommended them highly. I would hire them again in a heartbeat.” BK in The Dalles, OR
Solar and Renewable Energy in the News:
Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced that the Department of Energy (DOE) has finalized a $117 million loan guarantee for the Kahuku Wind Power project. The 30-megawatt (MW) project is located in Kahuku, Hawaii and will create over 200 jobs on the island of Oahu, according to DOE.
On Wednesday this week, Panasonic announced its intentions to purchase remaining shares of Sanyo Electric Co and Panasonic Electric Works (PEW). Panasonic already had a 50% stake in Sanyo as of last year. Sanyo is a big player in the solar market and producer of lithium-ion batteries.
The solar PV development company Recurrent Energy has been making some big project announcements lately. The developer said yesterday that it had raised $18 million in debt for a 5-MW PV system in San Francisco.
The cylindrical CIGS thin-film manufacturer Solyndra just signed a power purchase agreement with the utility Southern California Edison for 16-MW of projects.
Ahead of the First Concentrated Solar Thermal Power Summit India, CSP Today catches up with Anoop Mathur from Terrafore, who will be speaking at the Summit.
Evidence that wind generation equipment development continues apace emerges from a swath of new designs that are intended to extend the operational range of existing machines into previously untapped wind regimes. The moves indicate a key trend that is being adopted by the industry's leading original equipment manufacturers as they bid to maximize their engineering capital.
The Timken Company yesterday announced that it had received a contract worth US$26 million to supply wind turbine products and services to China's Xinjiang Goldwind Science & Technology Company, one of the top five wind power equipment manufacturers in the world.
New Incentives Update!
FEDERAL INCENTIVES
The BIG news is the Federal 30% Tax Credit with AMT (Adjusted Minimum Tax) exemption for ALL solar and small wind projects. This applies to Commercial and Residential systems. It looks like state rebate and incentive monies are no longer counted as income. In addition, there is also a new vehicle that lets businesses convert the tax credit into a grant. www.dsireusa.org
OREGON INCENTIVES
All of the Oregon incentives are still in place with a small decrease in Energy Trust of Oregon’s Cash Rebate. www.energytrust.org
WASHINGTON INCENTIVES
Washington made solar modules are here! http://silicon-energy.com/Silicon_Energy/Welcome.html
The legislative session just ended in WA and renewables came out a big winner. We don’t have the full rundown on all the new laws but the sales tax exemption and the performance incentive were both extended to 2020. And the maximum payout for the performance incentive was increased to $5000 per year (of course you’d have to install a 24kw system to get that at $.15/kwh). Unless of course you participate in a Community Project…
WASHINGTON COMMUNITY SOLAR PROJECTS
The legislature added a provision to the performance incentive that allows for community solar projects. The solar array would be hosted by a government entity: school, city hall, library, etc. But it would be owned by individuals, corporations or non profits. Each owner would be eligible to receive $.30/kwh produced by the system up to $5000 each. It gets complicated but basically individual owners should be able to capture a 7% Internal Rate of Return or better on their investment. Seraphim is putting together a workshop for any community group or municipality that might be interested in this option. Please Contact Us for more info.
In September 2009, Hire Electric purchased Seraphim Energy. The Hire/Seraphim solar team is going strong!
In the past several months we have installed the following projects:
- - 3kw Grid Tied Solar, White Salmon, WA
- - 1.2kw Grid Tied Solar, Pasco, WA
- - 1000w Off-Grid Solar, Goldendale, WA
- - 5.4kw Grid Tied Solar Trackers, Naches, WA (outside Yakima)
- - 2.7kw Grid Tied Solar Tracker w/ Battery Back-Up, Snowden, WA (above White Salmon)
- - 4kw Off Grid UniSolar Thin Film, Joseph, OR
- - 1.8kw Grid Tied Skystream Wind Generator, Hood River, OR
- - 1.8kw Grid Tied Solar, Walla Walla, WA
- - 1.2kw Off-Grid Solar, The Dalles, OR
- - 1.8kw Grid Tied Skystream Wind Generator, High Prairie, WA (above Lyle)
- - 3.5kw Grid Tied Solar, Milton-Freewater, OR
- - 3.2kw Grid Tied Solar, Richland, WA
- - 4.6kw Grid Tied Enphase Solar, Goldendale, WA
- - 1.8kw Grid Tied Skystream Wind Generator, Naches, WA (outside Yakima)
- - 2.4kw Grid Tied Solar Tracker, Goldendale, WA
- - 2.8kw Grid Tied Solar, Kennewick, WA
- - 4.2kw Grid Tied Enphase Solar, College Place, WA (outside Walla Walla)
- - 2kw Grid Tied Solar w/ Battery Back-Up, Goldendale, WA
- - 2.5kw Grid Tied Enphase Solar, Walla Walla, WA
- -2.3kw ARE110 Wind Turbine in Lyle, WA
- -3.8kw Grid Tied Sharp SRS w/ PVPowered inverter, Benton City, WA
- -3.2kw Grid Tied Sharp SRS w/ PVPowered inverter, Hood River, OR
- -7.4kw Grid Tied Sanyo HIT w/ Enphase Micro Inverter, The Dalled, OR
- -1.8kw Grid Tied Sharp w/ Enphase Micro Inverter, White Salmon, WA
- -5kw Grid Tied Sanyo HIT w/ Enphase Micro Inverter, Pendleton, OR
- -3kw Grid Tied Sanyo HIT w/ Enphase Micro Inverter, Richland, WA
- -1.2kw Grid Tied REC w/ PVPowered inverter, White Swan, WA
- -working on 35kw Sanyo w/ Fronius inverter system @ Hood River Middle School
- -6.3kw Grid Tied Sanyo w/ Enphase Inverter, BZ Corner, WA
- -10kw Grid Tied Bergey Wind Machine, Snowden, WA
- -working on 126kw Grid Tie in Richland, WA for PNNL
- -working on 25kw Grid Tie in The Dalles, OR for Wasco County
- - Total systems to-date: 377kw
The Hire SolarGram
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