After the June 2022 grand opening of the library, FOWL convened a team of local volunteers led by Michiel Zuidweg, Clare Ellen Lamiman, Curtis Edwards, and FOWL board member Kate Richmond to explore grant funding options for the library solar array. This volunteer team put together a grant application for the Washington Department of Commerce’s Clean Energy Fund Rural Clean Energy 2023 grant program on behalf of the Town of Winthrop. The town was awarded $258k for installation of the rooftop solar array. 

An 80kW solar array was installed on the library roof in September of 2024 by Western Solar with Michiel Zuidweg of MZ Solar Consulting generously donating his time as owner’s representative for the Town of Winthrop during the project.

• During its first year of operation the solar project is projected to generate approximately as much electricity as used by the library, saving $8,800 dollars in electricity costs. Over the thirty years of project operation the system is projected to save the town $460,900 dollars.

The match funding requirement for the grant was met through volunteer and town hours spent on the project and on related community solar education including workshops with Sustainability Pathways Program students and a presentation to the Methow Valley Builders Association. 

Many thanks to the visionaries on the project (Michiel, Claire, Curtis & Kate), town clerk Michelle Gaines, public works director Jake Gates, library architect and FOWL board member Margo Peterson-Aspholm, and FOWL board members past and present for their contributions to the project.