A high school student’s plan to establish a resiliency hub at Methow Valley United Methodist Church is taking shape on the church’s lawn.
A crew from Forecast Energy, based in Everett, began installing 156 panels on the church grounds last week — more than enough to meet the church’s annual electricity demand.
Juliana Robinson, an incoming senior at the Independent Learning Center (ILC) and the daughter of church pastor Leigh Ann Robinson, wrote the successful application for a $667,135 grant to pay for the panels and a battery storage system. The money comes from the state’s Climate Commitment Act, which directs funding to clean-energy projects.
For her senior capstone project at the ILC, Juliana will develop a plan for how the church can serve as a resiliency hub during hot or smoky weather. The solar-plus-battery system will enable the power to stay on at the church, even during extended power outages in the valley.
Forecast Energy will install the battery system on a concrete pad outside the church later this summer. Leigh Ann Robinson said the church hopes to wrap up the installation by the end of August.
