Jon Hougland with Lower Valley Energy stepped into the SVI Radio studio on Monday, October 27 to discuss an upcoming public meeting to discuss LVE’s plans to construct a small community solar farm near Bedford. The meeting will be held from 6-7 p.m. on Tuesday, October 28 at the Thayne Community Center.

(0:00) We are pleased to have in studio Mr. John Hoagland. He is with Lower Valley Energy. (0:05) John, thanks for coming on and speaking with us today.

(0:08) Well, thank you and good morning, Dal. (0:09) Well, first off, we’ve got a meeting coming up, a energy meeting about the solar farm (0:16) public meeting. There’s a solar farm they’re talking about putting in.

Tell us about this (0:20) process and how people can come and attend this meeting. (0:24) Sure, Dal. So, yep, as you said, tomorrow at 6 p.m. at the Thane Community Center, (0:29) we’ll be having an open house to talk about the solar farm that we’re looking to build (0:34) just outside of Bedford.

And so it’ll be a chance for the public to ask questions and (0:40) get information about the project. Jim Webb, our president and CEO, will be there to talk (0:45) a little bit about the power supply strategy that we have at Lower Valley and kind of what (0:51) we’re looking for in the future and how this project fits in it. And of course, I’ll be (0:55) there as a project manager to answer specific questions about the project.

(0:58) Now, John, one of the things when people talk to me about things like a solar panel (1:04) farm, things like that, they say, really? Here in Star Valley or western Wyoming, we’re (1:09) not exactly known worldwide for our sun. So explain that to us and how that works and (1:14) how this project can be successful. (1:17) Sure.

Well, believe it or not, solar is kind of a global phenomenon. They’ve got solar (1:22) facilities in Antarctica. They’ve got them in Scandinavia.

They’ve got them in Alaska (1:28) and every place in between. And so as far as a cold climate like we have and the wonderful (1:33) weather that we’re experiencing, it’s old news to solar. The other thing, too, that’s (1:39) really interesting, Dal, is that this project, we’re going to use what they call bifacial (1:43) panels.

So not only will the panels pick up the sunlight on the top of the panel, but (1:49) they actually will pick up the reflection of the sunlight on the bottom of the panel. (1:53) So as you know, right, that snow can really reflect a lot of sunlight. (1:57) Wow.

And I wasn’t even aware of that. That’s really neat. So what this is, tell us a little (2:03) bit more about this proposed solar farm that they’re trying to put in Bedford.

And you (2:08) have a meeting coming up tomorrow if people want to attend and learn more. (2:11) Sure. And this is what we call a community solar project, which means for those folks (2:17) who don’t want to invest the money to put solar panels on their house, or maybe you’re (2:22) a renter and you can’t put solar on the house, but you wish that you could so you can get (2:27) that bill credit that we give our net metering customers.

So this is a chance for folks like (2:32) that to participate in solar without actually having to build and own solar themselves. (2:39) Now, this meeting taking place tomorrow on Tuesday, and this will be taking place at (2:45) the Thame Community Center. It’s at six o’clock and it lasts about an hour.

(2:49) That’s right. That’s right. (2:50) So what can people expect if they attend this meeting, John? (2:54) So Jim will kick off by talking, like I say, a little bit about the project and about Lower (3:00) Valley’s power supply strategy.

Everybody’s heard about the AI and data centers and Bitcoin (3:07) mining and how that’s affecting the power supply here in the West. And he’ll talk a (3:12) little bit about that and how this project fits in it. And then I’ll do a little bit (3:16) on the project specifics and then we’ll open it up to the audience members and they (3:21) can just ask us whatever questions they have.

Speaking with John Hoagland with Lower Valley (3:25) Energy. John, also, you know, we’ve had folks on with LVE on our show a lot of different (3:32) times and talked about how it’s always generally the lowest prices of electricity in the nation, (3:38) things like that. So the solar panel project, how does it go from being stored and how does (3:45) that impact the whole process of Lower Valley Energy here in the region? (3:50) Sure.

Well, you know, the nice thing about where we’re looking to build the project, (3:54) it’s right across the road from our Bedford substation. So we’ll be able to tie it into (3:59) the grid that’s down here in Star Valley, where as long as it’s producing, it’ll be (4:04) pumping those kilowatt hours out onto the grid and out to everybody here in Star Valley. (4:08) And you talk about a lot of the new different projects, especially Wyoming, as you said, (4:12) a lot of really energy hungry type of projects coming into Wyoming data centers and AI and (4:18) Bitcoin and mining and those types of things.

How is the energy grid, in your opinion, (4:23) how things are going in Western Wyoming and for Lower Valley Energy? (4:26) Well, you know, we’re connected over a lot over into BPA. That’s the Bonneville Power (4:31) Administration, where we get the bulk of our power from. And definitely in the West, you know, (4:36) we’re starting to see more and more usage and not enough new construction, not enough (4:41) new units being built to supply power.

So, you know, you mentioned our low pricing, you know, (4:47) as time goes on and less projects get built, unless we have more supply, then that’s just (4:52) going to drive prices up. So we’re doing everything we can to keep our prices low. (4:57) Of course, one of those projects is this one we’re talking about here.

This is again, (5:01) there’s a meeting for a solar farm that is being proposed in the Bedford area. And there’s a public (5:07) meeting taking place tomorrow on Tuesday in Thane at the Thane Community Center. Again, (5:14) that’s from six to seven on Tuesday at the Thane Community Center.

John, anything I haven’t touched (5:18) on anything, any other details or anything you’d like to add as we talk about this? (5:22) No, that’s great, Dal. Thank you very much. (5:24) Again, been speaking with John Hoagland with Lower Valley Energy.

John, thank you so much for coming (5:29) in and giving us some information. I had no idea about that whole double panel or the double (5:33) reflection thing. I learned all kinds of stuff today.

(5:36) You’re welcome, Dal. Thank you. (5:37) Thank you very much.

Have a great day.