I read with interest William Hurley’s April 15 column on the economics of solar energy. While informative, his analysis uses one of the most expensive projects to “demonstrate” that no commercial-scale solar makes sense in the county. He fails to consider the future cost of electricity. Installations take years to complete, and the future Tier 2 BPA cost may well justify the expense. I, for one, would welcome new capacity from commercial-scale solar if it saves us from brown/blackouts as demand increases.

Mr. Hurley suggests we explore “dual use agri-solar installations,” but omits that such a proposal (Bailer Hill) was delayed indefinitely. We shot down a great option and lost years of planning.

If we bring up one project at a time, we will reject them all. We can’t just keep saying “no.” We need a comprehensive plan for future energy needs. How much renewable energy will we need? How much could realistically come from tidal, rooftop solar, etc.? What’s the deficit that only utility-scale solar can cover? We can then choose the best projects, understanding that every site has downsides. We all care about the beauty and ecology of these islands — working together, we can find the solutions with the least ecological/lifestyle costs.

OPALCO — Can you lead the effort to create a comprehensive plan? Then bring in County DCD, Friends of the San Juans and Kwiáht to finalize and identify the least disruptive options for approval? How can I, Mr. Hurley and others help make this happen?

Donald Kane

San Juan Island