Hanford’s solar, battery project carries eastern Washington’s energy legacy forward | Editorial

The Hanford site likely will host one of the largest solar power and battery storage facilities in the nation.

It’s an exciting project for a region that is quickly becoming the energy hub of Washington. Even better, the Department of Energy and the private company that will build the solar array are actively working with local economic development leaders and the community.

If only other energy — and anti-energy — projects did the same.

As reported by the Tri-City Herald’s Annette Cary, the Energy Department is negotiating details with Hecate Energy to build a gigawatt-scale project on up to 8,000 acres near the southeast edge of the Hanford site.

It could open in five to seven years, and the lease could run until all of the Hanford cleanup is completed, at least 50 years by current estimates.

A gigawatt is a lot of electricity, enough to power close to 10% of the entire state.

Actual production will vary, though. Solar power is limited by the vagaries of sunlight. It’s great on a sunny day, which we have many of around these parts.

It’s less useful on overcast days and at night. Battery systems can help mitigate that, saving power for dark hours, but they only last hours, not days.

Limitations aside, this would be a lot of clean power, which the world needs as it moves away from carbon fuel sources.

The project is part of DOE’s Cleanup to Clean Energy initiative.

There had been some local trepidation about the project. The Tri-City Development Council has its eyes on Hanford acreage for development of a Northwest Advanced Clean Energy Park that would attract innovative industries and their jobs.

If that vision becomes reality, it would be a boon for the region and would fit well with all of the other energy projects going up, including the solar array.

Rep. Dan Newhouse and Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell have advocated for that vision in Washington.

DOE and Hecate listened. The company engaged with TRIDEC and promised to work with the community to ensure that the solar farm doesn’t disrupt the region’s plans for economic growth. The proof will be in real community involvement, but it’s as hopeful a start as anyone could want.

Too often, big federal or energy projects bluster into the region and ignore the needs of the community. They focus on their goals and profits at the expense of collaboration and compromise.

The Tri-Cities region has been much-maligned of late over its views on energy projects.

“They’re a bunch of NIMBYs,” folks in the Puget Sound area say. “Why don’t they like wind power? Why don’t they want to remove the dams?”

That’s an unfair rap, of course. It’s easy to sit hundreds of miles away, far removed from the impacts of a project, and cast aspersions.

But as Tri-Citians have said all along, it’s not the types of power but the specifics of the projects that are problematic.

Work with us. Let us help identify the best places for energy projects. It’s possible to develop alternative energy sources without harming the community and the environment.

DOE and Hecate approached the region respectfully and with an ear for local priorities. That goes a long way toward building community support.

If only other local projects took the same approach.

This region has long been Washington’s battery, going back to the construction of hydroelectric dams.

Times change and power sources with them. The Tri-Cities should welcome conscientious energy projects, especially on the Hanford site.