Flathead Electric puts more solar panels in Whitefish

Flathead Electric Cooperative plans to begin construction in Whitefish early this summer on its third community solar project.

The solar project is being developed in partnership with the city of Whitefish. The photovoltaic facility will be located near the Whitefish wastewater treatment plant as part of a plan approved by the Whitefish City Council last year based on the city’s Climate Action Plan that calls for the development of a solar project at the plant along Monegan Road.

The city is leasing the land to FEC in exchange for generation from a panel in the project, which will offset the electricity use at the plant. FEC will manage and maintain the facility.

“We have benefited from a great partnership with FEC to bring about this solar PV project that will benefit our community into the future,” said Karin Hilding, Whitefish engineering and sustainability project manager.

FEC received a grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Energy Program for America program for $495,535 to help fund the solar project. It also received a $50,000 grant from the Bonneville Environmental Foundation.

Grant agreements require FEC to maintain ownership of the panels, but the electricity generated from the Community Solar III will be for sale to members of the co-op this spring to offset their electric bills. Those sales will cover 100% of the project costs remaining after grant funds, according to a release.

The solar project in will feature over 400 solar panels capable of cumulatively generating 200 kilowatts (kW) of carbon-free electricity. The co-op is also pairing the solar array with a 200kW utility-scale battery to capture the energy produced. The battery will mostly be charged by the solar panels but can also be charged by the grid when needed.