Back to Blog

OPALCO’s First Battery Storage Project

Posted in Ask OPALCO, Climate Change, Energy Efficiency & Conservation, Renewable Energy, Tech Tips

OPALCO has a vision for a healthy and sustainable energy future!

It includes local renewable energy generation for resilience in times of mainland power outages and to combat rising power and carbon costs. One part of that vision is to build community-scale solar projects coupled with batteries for energy storage. The first community solar project was completed in 2018 on Decatur Island (paid for 100% by member participants) – and this spring the battery storage component (the white container in the substation) will come online.

OPALCO plans to build a community solar project in 2020 and follow with a battery project in 2021 – and then repeat that pattern until member demand for community solar is met.

However, renewables are only one piece of the puzzle as OPALCO plans for where our future power will come from. Stay tuned for the rest of the story. Meanwhile:

 

Related Posts

View all blog entries

You may also like...

fixed versus variable

Quick Fact – OPALCO Rates

Balancing Cost, Benefit, and Fairness As a non-profit co-op, OPALCO keeps rates as low as possible by controlling expenses and pricing electricity at the residential and commercial cost of service. Though … Read more
Pie chart illustrating the breakout of OPALCO's costs. Updated December 2025.

Quick Fact: Cost of Service

Your power bill = the cost to deliver power Co-ops operate as a cost of service organization. The money OPALCO collects in bills goes primarily toward the cost of power, … Read more
OPALCO logo on scenic powerline background

Consider Running for the OPALCO Board

Your not-for-profit cooperative needs you! Are you feeling the itch to get involved in your community and be a local change-maker? The Orcas Power & Light Cooperative Board of Directors … Read more