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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Some still without power after windy night; more wind on the way ... Southern Oregon Historical Society to ask county for $400,000 ... Gov. Brown: 'Hold the line' on more casinos in Oregon ... Some still without power after windy night; more wind on the way ... Southern Oregon Historical Society to ask county for $400,000 ... Gov. Brown: 'Hold the line' on more casinos in Oregon ... OUR VIEW Our View: Solar arrays will become more common Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Apr. 1, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Apr. 1, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News A proposed solar farm north of Medford may be a first for the Rogue Valley, but it's not a first for Oregon and it certainly won't be the last. Renewable energy is the wave of the future. The photovoltaic array proposed for a 68-acre property between Highway 62 and Foothill Road north of Vilas Road will include solar panels on 44 acres, designed to track the sun, generating almost 10 megawatts, enough to power 1,975 homes. While residential solar panels are common here, thanks to the abundant sunshine, this would be the first commercial installation. That's a trend that will continue and probably accelerate as solar generation becomes more competitive with traditional fossil-fuel technologies. On average, solar power cost $200 per megawatt-hour last year, according to the International Energy Agency based in Paris. That was still double the cost of natural gas, coal and nuclear generating plants — but it was down from $500 per megawatt-hour just five years before. And solar costs are continuing to fall. An IEA study released last year predicted commercial solar generation would be less than $100 per megawatt-hour by 2025. At the same time, the cost of fossil-fuel generation is rising, a trend that is expected to continue. Coal, especially, will increase in cost as plants are required to capture carbon emissions — raising prices by perhaps as much as 70 percent. Given that reality, the legislation enacted this session in Salem requiring Oregon's two largest utilities to end their reliance on coal power makes sense. Solar generation isn't just better for the environment; it means jobs for Oregonians. The Solar Energy Industries Association, a trade group, says 150 companies are operating in various parts of the solar industry in Oregon, employing 3,000 people in manufacturing, contracting, project development and installation. Those numbers should increase steadily as solar farms proliferate. Expect to see more of them here in one of the sunnier parts of the state. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Apr. 1, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501