By Katie Kizer

People tend to start renewable energy projects – and more specifically, solar PV projects—for all sorts of reasons. They want to educate students, promote awareness in the community, or they may just want to prove they are “going green” along with the rest of the world. After taking the initiative to start these types of projects, a more appropriate question that arises is, why do they keep going? As Steve Ruelli of the Skokie School District 73.5 explains it, he was bitten by the bug.

After a successful solar PV installation at McCracken Middle School, Steve’s interest immediately turned to possible improvements on the John Middleton Elementary School. He explored various options for energy efficiency and renewable energy, yet he decided to once again pursue a solar PV system. This is because roof-mounted solar PV panels can easily be integrated into existing buildings, such as the elementary school. They installed another 1 kW solar PV system, for which data is available to monitor online, and Steve is already looking to expand. The project’s funding was made possible by ComEd and the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation.Back to the original question, why keep going?

It’s because people like Steve know that it works.

It’s also because the Skokie School District is very supportive of green technologies, and in the type of environment where innovation is encouraged and even facilitated, renewable energy thrives. All it takes is one committed person, like Steve, who knows the ropes.

Like the McCracken installation and all of the Illinois Solar Schools, this system will be used as an educational tool for students, staff, and community to learn about the power of the sun. As the district has continued to expand upon its green credentials, its reputation has mirrored the advancements. Steve explains that he is being asked to be part of a “green tour” as a result of the example that the district has set. He has also been asked to head a test project for a 30-50 kW solar PV system. Such a large system would offset a notable portion of energy while saving a chunk of change on utility bills.

Not only have the people of Skokie School District 73.5 seen this technology work, they are continuing to set the bar for what these installations can achieve. Steve told me that his goal is to be a leader in the industry and to exemplify these successful systems for other educational facilities—a way for others to learn from Skokie’s example. If you ask me, we should all be bitten by the bug.

By Stephanie Ghertner

Self-Help for the Elderly began serving seniors in San Francisco’s Chinatown in 1966, back when “green” was just a color.  A multi-service organization with programs ranging from vocational training to recreational activities, Self-Help for the Elderly serves over 25,000 seniors each year in the Bay Area.

Opened nearly thirty years ago, the non-profit agency’s Lady Shaw Senior Center provides affordable housing and quality services for residents and neighbors living in San Francisco’s Chinatown community, and today, it does so with less.  Less energy bill, that is.

Last year, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) partnered with Self-Help for the Elderly and donated $110,000 for the installation of a new, state-of-the-art photovoltaic (pv) power system to reduce electricity costs at the Lady Shaw Senior Center.  Completed in 2009, the installation will save Self-Help for the Elderly approximately $4,478 in energy expenses in the first year and hundreds of thousands of dollars over the system’s lifetime.

Designed and installed by the Bay Area’s own SolarCity, the 16 kilowatt solar system is expected to produce more than 21,162 kilowatt-hours of clean, renewable energy each year.  In other words, the annual amount of greenhouse gas emissions is… zero!

The unique partnership between Self-Help for the Elderly and PG&E is just one example of how easy it is to make a difference.  Anni Chung, President and CEO of Self-Help for the Elderly, said, “This new solar power system will help us conserve valuable resources and empower us to be a part of the solution to the problem of greenhouse gases and global warming.”  Embracing solar power technology, Self-Help for the Elderly is taking an active role in the promotion of renewable energy and energy efficiency.  The organization’s efforts demonstrate that even historical institutions, such as the Lady Shaw Senior Center, can become beacons of environmental change, helping to create a renewable-energy based economy and sustainable future.

By Energy Seeds

I love the State of Minnesota.  It is beautiful.  It is a natural wonderland.  But this article is not about the State of Minnesota; it’s about solar electricity in a Minnesota county called Hennepin.

The solar installation consists of 528 of Wanxiang’s (pronounced juan-she-ong) 180-watt panels so we call it a 95 kW system (180w*528=95040w).  (Wanxiang is a solar manufacturer out of China, but they are now building an assembly plant in Rockford, Illinois.)  The system is on the Public Works Facility in Medina, Minnesota.  It is the second largest solar electricity installation in the State of Minnesota.
If you want to see the data for the system, you can view it on line at the following site.

http://www.co.hennepin.mn.us/images/HCInternet/EPandT/Environment/Air%20and%20Energy/Cool%20County/Projects/HennepinCounty.swf

Green Circuit installed the system on the roof.  This installation helps you win arguments in two ways.

1.  You will find a lot of people over the age of 40 who will tell you that solar electricity panels do not work in northern states.  You can point out to them that this is a system in the second most northern US state and it works all year round.  The data link will help you prove the system works. Cloud covering is and important factor for PV solar power. Because of low cloud covering, Minneapolis-St. Paul has comparable annual sunshine of San Francisco CA and Jacksonville FL!

2.  You will find that same group of people over the age of 40 arguing that solar electricity will not work in the US because it would take up too much land area for the installation of the solar panels.  The pix here will help you show them that solar panels can be installed on the empty space on rooftops.  This system takes up zero land area.

As you get older you will learn that people over the age of 40 do not like to admit they are wrong…ever.  I am not suggesting that showing anyone over the age of 40 the pix of this rooftop solar electricity system and the data showing the electricity generation from the second most northern state in the will cause them to tell you that you are right and they are wrong.  This will probably not happen.  But regardless of what they say to you, they will know and you will know that you are right.  That will have to be enough for now.  If you need a public declaration that you are the winner in an argument, you need to become a lawyer where a judge or jury will make official calls.  Otherwise, be satisfied that you know you are right.