Solstice Solar Celebration…

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If you have a solar energy system, this is an invitation to come to a party in your honor.

On the occasion of SIREN’s 5th anniversary, we are gathering the community’s first solar adopters and would-be adopters for a celebration and networking event. The momentum for going solar is growing rapidly and we want to show you the extent and share the excitement.   
Monroe County now contains about half of all Duke’s net metering customers in Indiana. How’s that for a collective burst of energy!  You lit the fire, now come dance around it (so to speak).  Meet like-minded people and see what we can learn from each other.  Share your experience of going solar with people who are considering doing the same.  
What:    SIREN Solstice Celebration
Where:  Monroe County Public Library, Rooms 1B and 1C  
When:  2 pm June 22, 2013  
The program includes a short slide show and presentation on how to go solar and how to maximize your return on your solar investment. Refreshments will be served.    
Please feel free to forward this invitation to friends and neighbors. RSVP towebmaster@sirensolar.org by June 20 if possible.

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

–Margaret Mead


“Go Solar” in Evansville June 6

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Going Solar Presentation, 7 pm Thursday June 6 

 
Have you been thinking about renewable energy, climate change and your utility bills?  You can learn about the costs, financial incentives and carbon savings for solar and geothermal systems, have your questions answered by local green energy volunteers and join the growing community of solar adopters.  The free program sponsored by the nonprofit group Southern Indiana Renewable Energy Network will be will be at 7 pm June 6 in Browning event room B at the Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library, 200 SE Martin Luther King Jr.  Blvd.  If you plan to attend, please RSVP to webmaster@sirensolar.org.

Event: May 22 “Going Solar” in Bloomington

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Please join us at 7 pm on May 22 at the Monroe County Public Library, Room 1B for our next Going Solar presentation. To register, contact the Program Coordinator.

We will talk about the costs, financial incentives, carbon savings, and other considerations for installing solar and geothermal systems.  Options presented include solar water heaters, solar electric panels, and geothermal heating systems.  Learn what is involved, how SIREN is promoting solar power in Indiana, and how you can request a free solar pre-assessment to determine the solar potential of your home.

First city to require solar in new developments

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Follow the story from greentechsolar. 

Here’s an excerpt:

 

Lancaster, CA Becomes First US City to Require Solar

 

Every new housing development must average 1 kilowatt per house.

 

HERMAN K. TRABISH: MARCH 27, 2013

 

The Lancaster, California City Council unanimously approved changes to the city’s zoning code that require housing developers to install solar with every new home they build.

This is the latest piece in what Republican Mayor R. Rex Parris described at the City Council meeting as a plan to make Lancaster “the solar capital of the universe.”

Lancaster’s now official Residential Zones Update specifies, along with a range of green building provisions, that new single family homes meet minimum solar system requirements in the same way that they must meet minimum parking space requirements.

“The purpose of the solar energy system standards,” it reads, “is to encourage investment in solar energy on all parcels in the city, while providing guidelines for the installation of those systems that are consistent with the architectural and building standards of the City.” It is further intended “to provide standards and procedures for builders of new homes to install solar energy systems in an effort to achieve greater usage of alternative energy.”

Residential homes on lots of 7,000 square feet or more must have a solar system of 1.0 kilowatts to 1.5 kilowatts. Rural residential homes of up to 100,000 square feet must have a system of at least 1.5 kilowatts.

“Going Solar” in Bloomington, Columbus and Indianapolis

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SIREN’s Woodie Bessler and Terry Usrey gave their popular “Going Solar” presentation three times in March to different audiences. The dates and locations were:

  • Bloomington, March 3, 7pm –St. Thomas Lutheran Church, 3800 E. Third St. (open to the public)
  • Columbus, March 18 – lunch meeting hosted by Cummins Engine (private)
  • Indianapolis, March 19, 7-9pm  – Cross and Crown Lutheran Church, SE corner of 79th and Allisonville Rd. (open to the public)

They talked about the costs, financial incentives, carbon savings, and other considerations for installing solar and geothermal systems.  Options presented include solar water heaters, solar electric panels, and geothermal heating systems.  Learn what is involved, how SIREN is promoting solar power in Indiana, and how you can request a free solar pre-assessment to determine the solar potential of your home.

The Bloomington and Indianapolis sessions share a special bond. They are hosted by two of the six communities of faith that worked together to win a $150,000 grant from the state Office of Economic Development for the purchase of solar panels. SIREN and two Hoosier Interfaith Power and Light local affiliates—Earth Care in Bloomington and Indianapolis Green Congregations in Indy—assisted in preparing and securing the grant.

On March 3, over 200 congregants gathered to celebrate their solar panels, while the accompanying Going Solar presentation drew an overflow crowd and had to be given twice.

SIREN’s Solar Inventory Online Database Announced

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Since 2008 SIREN has endeavored to track and record solar installations in south central Indiana.  This fall a group if Indiana University graduate students from SPEA  (Robert Ramos, Thomas Sugimoto and Atilla Gumas) created an online version of the solar inventory database.   The project is intended to evolve into an online “virtual-tour” of solar installations, allowing the user to specify the the systems to include in their tour based on year of installation, size, type and/or location.

Access to the solar database can be found at:

http://www.indiana.edu/~speav519/SIREN/solar_inventory_mainpage.php

 

Monroe County Reaches Another Solar Milestone

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SIREN has been keeping records of installed solar systems in Bloomington and Monroe County since 2008.  According to SIREN records,  there are now at least 110 individual solar systems (80 PV,  20 Thermal Water, 10 Thermal Air) in the county.  Added together,  these systems have aggregrate power capacity of 400 KiloWatts,  producing approximately 500 MWhs of carbon free power each year.

 

Have you been thinking about “Going Solar” but don’t know where to start?

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Have you been thinking about “Going Solar” but don’t know where to start? On Nov 5th, from 7:00 to 9:00 PM at the Monroe County Public Library, join with others who wish to shift their homes to clean energy. Darrell Boggess and Chandra Romel  will talk about the costs, financial incentives, carbon savings, and other considerations for installing solar and geothermal systems. Options to be presented include solar water heaters, solar electric panels, and geothermal heating systems. Learn what is involved, have your questions answered by local green energy experts, and sign up for a free, solar pre-assessment to determine the solar potential of your home. This free “Going Solar” Leadership Forum event is co-sponsored by Bloomingfoods and SIREN (the Southern Indiana Renewable Energy Network), a project of the Center for Sustainable Living.

Please RSVP by sending an e-mail to tom22@comcast.net by Friday, Nov. 2th. Space is limited so reserve your spot today!

The Bloomington Eco Center PV System Moved to BP2

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The PV system pictured above was installed in 2008 on the roof of the Bloomingto EcoCenter at 324 S Walnut.   When the EcoCenter relocated in 2011, the PV system was upgraded and re-installed at the City of Bloomingtom Bike Project_2 location at the north end of the new Switch_Yard Park.

SIREN wishes to thank Alex Jarvis (Solar Systems of Indiana) for his contribution of re-installation of this system at its new location.

System Status: In Production/Operational

System Type: PV-Grid-Tied

System Capacity: 0.5 kilowatt

Specific Components:

  • (3) – 175 Watt SolarWorld Panels: ($2,350  + $150 shipping = $2,500)
  • (1) – 1100U- Watt Sunny Boy inverter: ($1,350 + $50 shipping = $1,400)
  • Labor to install, test, PV system in accordance with the 2005 National Electric Code 690 guidelines to photovoltaic systems, ($760)
  • (1) – Uni-Rac – S-5 – Mounting System- rails, clips, grounding lugs, stainless steel hardware: ($300 + $80 shipping = $380)
  • (160 ‘)  8 gage TWHHN wire, (80′) #6 bare ground wire:
  • ($280+$30 shipping = $310)
  • (1) – DC  disconnect  ($140+$12 shipping=$152)
  • Electrician to wire AC breaker and AC disconnect ($120)
  • 80′ 3/4″ metal conduit, (5) 3/4LB’s, (5) 3/4″ connectors, pull box, lugs, grounding clips, mounting straps, ($100)
  • 1 – AC disconnect ($60)
  • misc. hardware, drill bits, connectors, tape, caulk, glue, mounting screws ($40)
  • Weather proof labels / system labeling – ($28)

Total cost: $5850