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Renewable Energy Education
for a Sustainable Future
S E I
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| Join SEI's Johnny Weiss for a solar tour of Spain! The week-long tour starting October 6 will introduce the renewables market in Spain with visits to policymakers, key solar installations and solar manufacturing plants. Last year the EcoMotion team traveled to Germany; this year, we're off to Spain, where there's twice the sun! Spain has captured the #2 position in worldwide solar installations, and is #4 in production. Find out what's driving this remarkable growth. More information is available here. |
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Upcoming SEI workshops |
SEI's summer workshops filled up incredibly fast, but we still have space in a few upcoming workshops in late summer and fall. If you'd like to learn about straw bale construction, solar hot water, biodiesel, or implementing projects in the developing world, check out the workshops below.
Renewable Energy for the Developing World
Carbondale, CO • August 25 - 29
Straw Bale Design & Natural Plaster
Paonia, CO • September 15 - 19
Advanced PV
Sandy Hook, NJ • September 22 - 26
Solar Hot Water
Sandy Hook, NJ • September 29 - October 1
Solar & Radiant Heating
Sandy Hook, NJ • October 2 - 4
Biodiesel Fuel
Pittsboro, NC • October 13 - 17 |
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Congress Hears about Straw Bale Construction |
Last month, SEI instructors and associates Laura Bartels of GreenWeaver Inc., Bob Gough of the Intertribal Council on Utility Policy, and David Eisenberg of the Developoment Center for Appropriate Technology gave a congressional briefing in DC on the benefits of straw bale construction for America. This was the first in the history of the world.
The briefing was hosted by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and addressed how straw bale construction can help address some of our most serious national policy challenges, such as record energy prices and unemployment, inadequate supply of affordable housing, the threat of climate change, and pressing needs in transportation and infrastructure funding. The modern building industry places heavy demands on the energy and transportation sectors. Straw is a locally-sourced, widely available, and renewable resource that builders, architects, engineers, and home owners are turning into affordable, safe, durable, and energy-efficient buildings in many climates. The presenter's power point presentations are available here. |
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Western Colorado's Largest PV Array |
Solar Energy International was proud to be a part of the dedication ceremony for Western Colorado's largest Photovoltaic array - which happens to be just a mile away from SEI's Carbondale office at the Colorado Rocky Mountain School (CRMS). The 147 kW array consists of 756 panels, and will generate about 200,000 kilowatt hours per year. This is estimated to power 25 area (inefficient) homes - but we hope that our educational efforts in efficiency will at least double that number!
The system is the end result of a collaboration between Aspen Skiing Co., CRMS, the Community Office for Resource Efficiency, local energy consultants, and the voting majority of Carbondale citizens. Sunsense Inc., a longtime local Carbondale solar electric company, designed and installed the system with help from many SEI alumni and members. Dignitaries, local organizations, and about 300 local citizens were present to take part in the ribbon cutting ceremony.
Photo: SEI staff with Colorado's governor, Bill Ritter, who was on hand to speak at the dedication. |
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Learn About Biodigestors in Mexico |
Help install a working biodigester for a family in Michoacan, Mexico. The International Renewable Resources Institute will be offering a Hands-on Biodigester Installation Course, August 8 - 10.
Biodigesters convert organic waste into clean renewable energy for heating, cooking, or the production of electricity. The byproduct of biodigesters is a high quality organic fertilizer that can support local agricultural systems.
This three-day course will cover an overview of biodigester applications, and the impacts this technology can have on the energy production, health, water quality, emissions and economics of households and communities. The course focus will be the installation of a functioning biodigester and working with the family members to design, install, and support the system.
The course will be taught mostly in Spanish, but English translation will be available. For more information or to register please contact: info@irrimexico.org |
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Recycling Wind Turbines |
If recycling is green, and wind turbines provide green energy, then how green would it be to recycle the wind turbines themselves? That's the plan for Aeronautica Windpower, a Massachusetts-based company that is hoping to refurbish and find new homes for hundreds of wind turbines that are being retired from the large wind farms of California.
The company is betting that a large variety of new locations can be found for these 50-500 kilowatt recycled, green-power generators across the rest of the country as they get replaced with larger machines.
Read the entire story on RenewableEnergyWorld.com |
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SEI is Officially Sun, Wind & Water Powered |
SEI is now officially a sun, wind & water powered organization. This past May the Solar Hot Water class installed a single collector solar thermal system which supplies hot & cold water to our student & staff kitchen area. A big thanks goes to solar thermal distributor Sunergy for supplying SEI with the Enerworks Solar Thermal system. In addition we installed a Sundanzer DC refrigerator. The 2 panel PV system uses the Morningstar SureSine inverter and Midnite Solar E-Panel for the balance of system.
The Solar demonstrations at the SEI campus also include the three real world PV systems that our classes use in our trainings (grid-tie, grid-tie with battery backup, and a stand-alone system), a developing world PV LED lighting system, a solar hot air system, solar water pumping system, many solar cookers and of course a solar clothes dryer.
The Micro-hydro class got in on the fun as well, installing a low head, high flow micro-hydro system in a creek that runs through the SEI property. This system charges the batteries on a DC water pumping system which does all the watering in our gardens on the property. All of this combined with the ARE 110 wind generator the 2007 SEI Wind class installed makes SEI completely renewably powered!
We are currently collecting data on all of our systems and will be giving a report on their performance in a future newsletter. For more information on the SEI Eco-Campus contact matthew@solarenergy.org |
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Alumni News - Bringing Renewables to Low Income Communities |
SEI alum Anna Bautista has recently started working with Grid Alternatives in California. Grid Alternatives empowers communities in need by providing renewable energy and energy efficiency services, equipment and training. Through their Solar Affordable Housing Program, Grid Alternatives trains and leads teams of community volunteers to help low-income homeowners install solar electric systems on their own homes. They focus on communities that have been disproportionately impacted by high energy prices and the environmental health burdens of traditional power plants.
Anna is the
training and volunteer coordinator in the Los Angeles area. She trains job trainees and community volunteers on how solar works and the installation process. She still keeps in touch with SEI alumni from the 2005 Women's PV D&I and 2007 Costa Rica RE/PV workshops. Anna joins SEI alum Faisal El-Azzouzi who is the construction manager for Grid Alternatives.
Photo: Anna leads a solar demo with high school students in LA |
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Your Generosity Ensures our Success! |
SEI would like to welcome new members! As a membership-based non-profit, SEI's members are the heart of our organization and allow us to continue our educational programs. SEI Staff are passionate about the work we do and membership dues help sustain our renewable energy endeavors.
Please join us! Membership benefits include (depending on membership level) discounts on workshops, a one year subscription to either Home Power magazine or E magazine, an organic cotton/hemp SEI t-shirt, a SEI bumpersticker, and more!
Follow this link to learn how to become an SEI member.
To all SEI members . . . SEI sends thanks! |
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Help create a sustainable future. Please forward this newsletter to your friends.
PO Box 715 • 76 S. 2nd. St. • Carbondale, CO 81623
970-963-8855 • fax: 970-963-8866
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Use this link to add your name to our mailing list. Use this link to remove your name from our mailing list. |
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