Oregon Department if Transportation Demo Site

On December 19, 2008, the nation’s first solar highway project started feeding clean, renewable energy into the electricity grid, and the Oregon Solar Highway has been operating seamlessly ever since. The 104 kilowatt (dc) ground-mounted solar array, made up of 594 solar panels, is situated at the interchange of Interstate 5 and Interstate 205 south of Portland, Oregon, and offsets over one-third of the energy needed for freeway illumination at the site.

The project was developed through an innovative, first-in-the-nation public-private partnership between the Oregon Department of Transportation  and Portland General Electric, and U.S. Bank as PGE’s tax equity partner. Through the use of state and federal renewable energy tax credits, accelerated depreciation, and grants offered through the Energy Trust of Oregon and PGE’s Clean Wind Fund, this award-winning partnership benefits PGE customers, including the State of Oregon and ODOT. The Renewable Energy Certificates, which represent the green power produced by the solar array, are retired on behalf of PGE’s customers, including the State of Oregon and ODOT.

While the project sits on the transportation system right of way, it is not owned by ODOT.  SunWay1, LLC, a limited liability company managed by Portland General Electric, owns and operates this solar power plant. Solar energy produced by the array feeds into the grid during the day, in effect running the meter backwards for energy needed at night to light the interchange through a Solar Power Purchase Agreement with PGE.

The success of SunWay1 has led ODOT and PGE to explore further opportunities to put renewable energy onto Oregon’s grid and add value to the public’s transportation system right of way.