Fourth Graders Power Their Classroom with Solar Energy

This is so cool -- I had to share it right now.  Check out this short video and story about what a fourth grade class in North Carolina accomplished!

SunShot Initiative Newsletter: Fourth Graders Power Their Classroom with Solar Energy




Let's find ways to accomplish something like this in Plano!

Best Regards,
Plano Solar Energy Advocates (LH)

Solar Powering Your Community Workshop

On May 20, 2013, a free interactive workshop, was held and presented by the SunShot Solar Outreach Partnership (http://solaroutreach.org/), which provided actionable information on creating local-level solar programs in the Dallas and surrounding areas.  Areas of focus included: an overview of solar technology and why it is viable for the Dallas region; planning and zoning for solar; and innovative financing options for solar projects.

Presentations and video replays of the workshop are now available online. Go to the webpage www.nctcog.org/energy - then, on the right side of the page, look under the section "Recent Events" for links to each of the presentations and videos.

The workshop agenda and the same links are included below in this blog article for easy access.  If you were not able to attend, you are encouraged to take some time to view the videos and presentations.  Share the information with your neighbors and utility representatives to help increase the awareness and understanding of solar energy.

Workshop Part 1 - This section includes:

• Introductions
• Solar 101
• Creating a Regulatory Landscape for Solar
• Texas Policy Environment

Links to the presentations and video reply for part 1 are given below:

• Introductions & Solar 101 presentations
• Introductions & Solar 101 video replay (approx 80 mins)
• Solar 101 - begins at about 5 min
• Creating a Regulatory Landscape for Solar - begins at about 30 mins
• Texas Policy Environment - begins at about 49 mins

Workshop Part 2 - This section includes:

• Benefits and Barriers Activity
• Strategies to Grow Your Local Market

Links to the presentations and video reply for part 2 are given below:

• Permitting, Zoning, & Financing presentations 
• Permitting, Zoning & Financing video replay (approx 48 mins)
• Benefits and Barriers Activity - beginning of this video
• Strategies to Grow Your Local Market - begins at about 22 mins

Workshop Part 3 - This section includes the local speaker session:

• Oncor
• Axium Solar
• City of Irving, West Library project

Links to the presentations and video reply for part 3 are given below:

• Local Discussion & Wrap Up presentations
• Local Discussion & Wrap Up video replay (approx 85 mins)
• Axium Solar - beginning of video
• Oncor - begins at about 15 mins
• City of Irving, West Library project - begins at about 41 mins
• Panel discussion - begins at about 49 mins

Best Regards,
Plano Solar Energy Advocates (LH)

Learning and Fun with Solar Powered Cars!

What they say is very true – teachers can really learn a lot from the students they are teaching!

Recently, Plano Solar Advocates volunteers had the wonderful experience of engaging in lessons, discussions, and Q&A with elementary students in 14 different class sessions (a total of 215 students) while helping them assemble demonstration solar powered cars.  And when the sun was shining, those cars went really fast!

In collaboration with the Texas Solar Energy Society, the North Texas Renewable Energy Group local chapter, and the Live Green in Plano volunteer program, Plano Solar Advocates volunteers went on a mission the last 5 weeks of the school year to share information about solar energy with 3^rd, 4^th, and 5^th graders at area elementary schools.

The Solar Car Class

We started each class by talking about the huge amount of energy that reaches the earth from the sun. We described the four types of solar energy we can use – passive, thermal, concentrating, and photovoltaic (PV). We showed photos of PV installations around the area, and showed photos and websites about experimental solar airplanes, boats, and cars.

We then discussed the difference between non-renewable and renewable sources of energy. We discussed how conventional cars are powered by burning gasoline, and we described how an electric car powered by solar panels would work.

The students then worked together in small teams to assemble the solar car kits.  Outside, they then put the cars through their paces and even had a few races. The students made observations and conclusions about sun and shade and how switching the electrical connections changed the direction of the car.

Once we were back in the classroom, the students practiced one of the three “R’s” of sustainability (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) by disassembling the cars so that they could be “reused” at the next solar car class session.  We had a little more time for Q&A, and then encouraged the students to continue to learn and strengthen their knowledge in math and science so that they could become future scientists, researchers, engineers, and business people to capitalize on the untapped natural energy resource of the sun.  We closed the class by having the students watch a short video called – “Solar Energy in Texas – Don’t you wonder?”

Good Timing

Regarding our future migration to more renewable sources of energy and the pioneering spirit and creative thinking we will need to accomplish this, we were very fortunate that the Solar Impulse solar airplane (www.solarimpulse.com) was arriving and staying at the DFW airport during for the latter part of May. Many of the students were able to go see the plane and learn more in person!

The Experience, Next Steps, and More Info

We had a great time speaking and teaching these classes, and we received similar feedback from all the other volunteers who were able to participate. Most importantly, the students were engaged, excited, asked very good questions, and will be the future ambassadors (and consumers) of solar energy.  We received many various thank you letters and even songs composed about solar energy to be sung to current tunes that older folks (like us) might not recognize….

We hope to be able to reach more students next year, so be ready to help answer the call to lead or assist the solar powered car lessons next spring.  It is a great experience to encourage and motivate our next generation to learn about and use renewable energy. It will create fond memories for both you and the students that will be remembered for a long time.

More information about the Texas Solar Energy Society solar car project and its originator can be found by viewing a recent presentation given at the North Texas Renewable Energy group in April of this year.  Check the website (www.ntreg.org) in the download section to find the presentation Solar Cars for All Ages.

Plano Solar Energy Advocates (LH & RL)

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

A report released this week by the Solar Foundation titled "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: Encouraging Solar Development through Community Association Policies and Processes" identifies three simple actions HOAs can take to bring more solar to their communities: Learn, Clarify, and Collaborate.  The report includes information about solar energy basics, benefits, and barriers. In regard to advancing community education on solar energy, it outlines a number of factors commonly impacted by potential HOA restrictions that can have significant negative impacts on system performance.  These include PV array size, array orientation, array title, and system shading.

An overview of the report is available at:
http://thesolarfoundation.org/blog/encouraging-solar-development-hoa-communities

And the actual report can be downloaded here:
http://thesolarfoundation.org/sites/thesolarfoundation.org/files/HOA%20Guide_Final.pdf

 

As residential solar deployment continues to grow, this report provides some great information on how HOAs and homeowners can collaborate for win-win solutions.

Additional information about solar installations and HOAs can be found in the sections titled "Texas Legislation/Policy" and "Policy & References related to HOAs (Home Owners Associations)" on our Useful Links page

Plano Solar Energy Advocate (LH)

Generate Your Own Electricity, Group Solar Purchase!

Are you ready to generate some or all of the electricity you need right at home? 

Are you ready to go solar, but not sure where to start? 

Are you ready to tap that untapped local energy resource – the SUN?

Then signup to participate in our PV solar group bulk purchase and install project. 

Learn more and enroll at our Solarize Plano page on this website.  (Select “Solarize Plano” from the menu items along the top of this page.)

Solar Energy incentives are available from Oncor this year, so it is important to act before the incentives are used up. Also, the 30% federal investment tax credit is available.

Using PV solar to generate electricity at homes (and businesses) is not a research project anymore. Install PV solar at your home and join the already 50+ installations across Plano, 600+ across the DFW area, 4,000+ across Texas, and  200,000+ across the United States.  (Note: The US still has a way to go catch up with the more than 1,200,000 in Germany).

Generate your own local electricity, stabilize your long term electricity prices, and produce zero pollution and use no water in the process (unlike conventional power generation plants).  These benefits plus many more are available now!

Learn more at Solarize Plano!

Plano Solar Energy Advocate (LH)

What do Plano Residents think about Solar Energy (for 2013)?

In late March through April of this year, Plano Senior High School (PSHS) Advanced Placement Environment Science (APES) classes participated in a homework assignment with their families to complete a survey about solar energy. The survey was completed by over 150 respondents. This is the second year that the APES classes have participated in the survey.

The purpose of the survey was to obtain a sampling of the views of residents regarding their awareness, interests, concerns, and potential barriers to deployment of solar energy in Plano. The survey consisted of approximately 35 questions. These questions were mostly the same as those from last year, which were a compilation obtained from citizen surveys performed in Houston, San Antonio, and Austin over the last few years. The results from this local survey sample were somewhat similar to the results of the other Texas cities. 

Here is a sample of some of the questions and local results:

• Which of the following concern you about the future of energy and the environment?
• top responses - increased energy prices; decreased availability of energy; climate change (same as last year)
• How concerned are you about future energy prices?
• 91% responded either very concerned or somewhat concerned (slightly down from 95% last year)
• How likely are you to invest in solar power for your home or to buy a home with solar power already installed?
• 55% responded either very likely or somewhat likely (same as last year)
• How much of a factor is cost in purchasing and installing a solar power system?
• 80% responded either very important or important (down from 95% last year)

Other responses indicated:

• 72% were not aware of existing solar rebates or tax credits (67% last year)
• Aside from the concern of cost, the top three reasons cited for not having pursued installation of a solar power system were the same as last year, with a slightly different order of these type three responses.
• Don't know where to buy it (#2 last year)
• Don't know who would install it (#3 last year)
• Lack of confidence in selecting the proper system (#1 last year)

When asked how many people in Plano the respondent knew that already had solar energy installed, the responses were:

·         63% None                           64% last year

·         26% One                             23% last year

·          8%  Two-three                  12% last year

·          3%  More than three       1% last year 

Also, in this year’s survey, we added a few questions regarding the respondents’ regular energy consumption, awareness of advanced, or smart meters, and online energy usage monitoring.   

For the approximate average monthly electricity usage, the two answers most selected by respondents were 1000-1500 kWh or 1500-2000 kWh.  However, 16% responded that they didn’t know.  

For the estimated peak monthly usage over the year, the answer with the most responses was 2000-3000 kWh.  However, on this question 20% responded they didn’t know. 

For the question - Do you have a "smart" electric meter installed at your location?

30% Yes

40% No

30% Don’t Know

For the 30% that answered ‘Yes’ to having a smart meter installed, 16% of those had signed up at www.smartmetertexas.com to manage and track their electricity usage. However, this represented only 7% of the total respondents.

As mentioned earlier in this article, this sample survey completed by the group of students' families from PSHS was intended to obtain a better understanding of the current views and concerns of residents. While this survey represented only a sample of Plano residents, hopefully these results and those from last year’s survey will help facilitate the implementation of a wider survey of local residents. The results from a wider survey could enable interested citizens groups to create action plans to communicate opportunities about the great potential over the coming years of expanding the deployment of solar energy right here in Plano.

And again this year, SPECIAL THANKS to the APES teachers and students at Plano Senior High School for their involvement in the process and participation in the survey!

Plano Solar Energy Advocate (LH)

The Light at the End of the Energy Tunnel

The United States is facing a crossroads in its future energy usage.  Will we choose to stay on the traditional fossil fuel track for the foreseeable future facing the same environmental, health, and political problems, or will we choose to start down a more sustainable path?  Although some have criticized solar energy, it offers one of the few large-scale solutions to our future energy needs.  Some sobering environmental facts may help to shed light on solar energy’s potential and importance.

The current population of the earth is seven billion and still growing.  It is estimated that it will peak at between 9 and 14 billion.  Not only is the population growing, but average per capita resource use is increasing and predicted to continue to do so.  The planet’s energy consumption will sky-rocket in the future.  Can fossil fuels meet the demand?  Oil production is predicted to peak in the next 20 years and then decline.  Natural gas, for all its promise will do the same, peaking in probably 30 to 40 years.  The cost of both of these will only increase over time.  Coal could produce energy for another 900 years or so in the United States.  However, coal is the dirtiest of the fossil fuels.  Coal combustion emits many more radioactive particles into the air than the nuclear industry.  As the largest emitter of mercury, particulates, sulfides, nitrous oxides, hydrocarbons (smog), and CO₂, coal has considerable environmental and health costs every year, leading to the deaths of an estimated 200,000 to 600,000 people in the US alone.  Cleaning up coal would add considerably to its price.  The nuclear industry promises a long-term supply, but still faces the problem of safely transporting and disposing of, not only radioactive spent fuel rods, but also used radioactive piping and production equipment.  To date no practical solution has been found, and the radioactive waste has been stored on site at the nuclear plants.  Many of these plants are running out of room for the waste.  In addition, many of the plants that were scheduled for decommission are still in use and operating at greater risk of releasing radioactivity, because the solution to the radioactive waste has not been found. 

In the end, uranium, like the fossil fuels, is finite and polluting, eventually necessitating the switch to renewable energy sources.  But which renewable energy source to use?  Biofuels are often touted.  Most agricultural experts agree that, in order to feed 9 – 14 billion people into the future, most or all of our current agricultural land must remain in food production and not converted to energy use.  Opening up more wilderness areas for agriculture would put our ecosystems and global ecological services at risk.  Some promising new biofuels such as artificial oil produced from algae, ethanol produced from discarded agricultural waste such as corn stalks, or methane produced from livestock waste, offer perhaps limited and select solutions and should be considered.  However, biofuels still face the cost of distribution and will probably never be able to supply all of humanity’s needs.  Hydropower has been maxed out – we have dammed nearly every river possible.  Wind and tidal power have much more potential left and together with solar offer the hope for the future.  However, they are more limited geographically to areas with wind or tide potential.

What about solar?  Why will it be the major work horse of the future?  The reasons are numerous. 

1) In short, it is ubiquitous – it is found everywhere in the temperate and tropical zones in abundance.  Everyone can use it.  Germany, the world’s leader in solar energy production, is higher in latitude and so receives much less direct sunlight than the US – there is so much more potential here.  In addition, it is much cloudier than many parts of the United States, demonstrating that solar energy can still be utilized to a great extent in areas with significant cloud cover. 

2) Solar eliminates energy loss through transmission and the expense of erecting power transmission infrastructure, because it can be locally generated.  Delivering energy to impoverished rural areas would be less burdensome for developing countries.  Solar would allow developing nations to leapfrog dirtier, costlier energy sources and the building of costly power distribution systems in order to achieve rapid development in rural areas. 

3) Solar is the only energy source that is getting LESS expensive and will continue to do so, despite receiving far fewer government subsidies than the fossil fuels. 

4) Solar would allow us to build a smarter, more efficient grid system with more decentralized energy production that would be more resistant to mass power failures. 

5) Solar is, of course, much cleaner than fossil fuels and nuclear energy.  Switching to solar energy in cities would help to reduce CO₂ production and urban air pollution and their resulting health and environmental costs, and solar involves no radioactive waste.

6) Finally, solar is the only source of energy that can supply the energy of our growing world population into the future.  The energy from sunlight that strikes the earth in one hour is more than is used by the entire world’s population in one year.  This means that there is an ample and endlessly continuing supply of solar energy for a future world of fourteen billion people and a global high-tech economy.  No other energy source offers this light at the end of the tunnel.
 
Plano Solar Energy Advocate (MY)