Learn ways to cut your home’s energy costs up to 50% in this intensive 2-day workshop presented by USGBC-STL, Missouri Botanical Garden’s EarthWays Center and The Evergreen Institute! Practical strategies for new and existing homes address energy demand, passive-solar design and construction, implementing renewable energy systems, building and rehab costs, and more.
INSTRUCTOR
Dan Chiras, Ph.D., nationally noted author and energy expert and founder of The Evergreen Institute.
WHEN
Saturday & Sunday, March 13 &14, 2010
9:00 am – 5:00 pm
WHERE
The Missouri Botanical Garden’s Commerce Bank Center for Science Education (CBEC), 4651 Shaw Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110; Rooms 129 & 130
FEE
$80 for USGBC-STL and Missouri Botanical Garden members
$95 for non-members
Fee includes continental breakfast, handouts, parking.
To inquire about discount for couples call 314-577-9506.
REGISTER
Online at the Missouri Botanical Garden website. Once on the website, scroll down to the Green Living section and click on "Alternative Building Workshop: Net-Zero Energy Home." If you are a USGBC-STL member, select the member ticket and note "USGBC-STL member" in the notes section.
Update - November 2nd, ShowMeSolar.org: Join the directors of Show Me Solar for a semi-annual members meeting designed to receive feedback for planning next year’s event calendar and, oh, by the way we will be generating the winning raffle ticket number as well! The odds are still good with only 72 chances sold so while you are here consider adding your donation to the raffle using the paypal button below. Click here to go to the meeting registration page.
Wednesday, February 24th, Hartsburg, Missouri This evening the board of directors of Show Me Solar authorized Jeffrey Owens, the Executive Director to purchase this year’s Global Sun Oven to be raffled away to one lucky winner. This year’s Solar Oven Raffle
has the additional goal of raising funds to send a matching oven to a community in need. Solar Ovens are of tremendous benefit in many parts of the world where fuel to cook is scarce and the indoor air quality from open pit wood and dung fires is responsible for respiratory health problems especially amongst children.
The oven will be on display at fairs and festivals throughout the year. Raffle tickets may be purchased in person at these events or online through the convenience of PayPal – just click on the button below. The winning ticket will be drawn during the Show Me Solar annual members meeting the second week of November, 2010.
 |
 |
TERMS & CONDITIONS: Show Me Solar reserves the right to void entry into the 2010 fundraiser at any time. No refunds. No personal checks please. Directors and Officers of Show Me Solar and their immediate family members are ineligible to enter. The winner of the raffle item will be notified once by phone and/or email at number/email address registered with Show Me Solar. The winning ticket must be redeemed within 7 days of notification. The winning ticket holder’s right to claim the prize expires after 7 days of notification. The winning ticket is not transferable to third parties. The raffle prize will be shipped ground delivery service with insurance. Please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery.
February 26th, 2010, www.ShowMeSolar.org Yesterday evening marked the final installment in the Winter 2010 Show Me Solar online solar seminar series. Approximately 7 members of Show Me Solar were in attendance and the evening turned into a three hour affair chock full of great discussions and helpful exchanges of useful information. The central part of the evening was the “Economics of Solar” portion of the solar seminar series, and on-topic discussions before, during and after the presentation ranged from pushing the boundaries of incentives from the 30% Federal Income tax credit (whether the 30% can be claimed on the full cost of the solar system prior to deducting the $2/watt solar rebate and whether you would have claim the rebate as income on your Federal Tax return), to the Missouri Proposition C Solar Rebate program (for example, whether the same property could qualify more than once and what the finally basis will become for calculating the rebate – maximum power at STC, CEC ratings, etc.) , extending the rebate program to cover all utilities selling electricity in Missouri not just the investor owned utilities such as Ameren UE and KCP&L, to strengthening the net-metering laws to require utilities to credit production based on the marginalized cost of producing electricity not the avoided cost, to the political viability of Renewable Energy Certificates making it out of the rule-making process with the Public Service Commision and into the hands of home and business owners in the form of additional cash incentives. Discussion even turned to whether the Missouri Green Sales Tax holiday would apply to the purchase of renewable energy systems and to the fact that Missouri has been the only Midwestern state out of 12 not to participate in the Midwest Governor’s pact to reduce emissions from coal. Governor Nixon, any plans to join your colleagues in establishing a Midwest Regional Green House Emissions Reduction pact?
Discussion also included the possibility of cost savings through collective wholesale purchasing based on the number of unsolicited offers Show Me Solar has already received from distributors to purchase panels below $2/watt. The pros and cons of this years plan to install solar systems which we have dubbed “Energy Raisers” was also visited prompting Jeffrey Owens, the current Executive Director of Show Me Solar to respond that the first owners to participate in an Energy Raiser could be viewed either as “Solar Pioneers” or “Solar Guinea Pigs” depending on whether you want to take a glass half full or glass half empty approach to the issue. Needless to say, everyone in attendance looked forward to being a solar pioneer. Although the Energy Raiser events will save the solar system owners thousands of dollars in avoided labor charges, the Show Me Solar Energy raisers are by no means intended to undercut market prices. Logistically, the number of installs possible for the nonprofit operating off of donated labor and materials will not keep pace with the rate at which the commercial industry is installing systems. Instead, the Energy Raisers are designed to provide the general public access to a real live solar energy installation. To turn out on a Saturday and witness just what is solar all about. To ask questions and receive answers. In addition, for those wishing to explore the possibility of a career in renewable energy, the Energy Raiser events will provide professional associates of Show Me Solar and opportunity to get the experience they will need to enter the job market as a solar system installer, integrator, and even designer. NABCEP certification requirements allow credit from one training installation to go towards NABCEP certification as a PV installer and Show Me Solar Energy Raisers in every local community will allow Midwesterners and others to get the on the job training they need without having to travel and pay thousands of dollars to gain access to a training program.
After the presentation segment on the Economics in Solar, discussion even turned to electric vehicles and one participant, Gavin Perry of GPTS LLC based in St. Louis, shared his plans for a bulk purchase of Lithium Ferrous Phosphate batteries used by the automobile industry and already available in the form of an electric assisted bicycle that his company provides. His online presence can be found at http://gptsllc.com/ Perhaps, fuel cell technology was the only aspect of both home and transportation distributed energy that was not discussed. With announcements of inexpensive fuel cells coming this week from venture capitalist start-up Bloom Energy announcing their plans to put a Bloom Box in every American home for under $3,000, this technology will almost certainly be a perennial topic of discussion for members of Show Me Solar.
Now that this first cycle of online webinars is drawing to completion – next Tuesday evening Show Me Solar hosts Dan Chiras for the final online seminar for Winter 2010, our organization plans to regroup, reevaluate and retool our online educational outreach program to both improve it and expand its content and functionality. A working group of members interested in developing the educational content and creating an online learning environment is forming to begin meeting next week. If you are interested in participating in this important component of Show Me Solar’s mission by joining the Educational Outreach working group please contact me, Jeffrey Owens at jowens@showmesolar.org
For more information on Show Me Solar and it’s activities in the field of Solar Energy please visit:
www.ShowMeSolar.org
Susan Brown, VP for Sales and Marketing, The Energy Savings Store
February 24th, ShowMeSolar.org Yesterday evening, Show Me Solar hosted Susan Brown of The Energy Savings Store (TESS). Members of Show Me Solar were treated to a rich presentation featuring photos of dozens of projects completed by TESS over the past seven years of the company’s business ranging from solar sign and lighting applications to both large and small, residential and commercial, solar thermal and electric systems. Highlights included application of Uni-Solar’s thin film laminates to standing seam steel roofs and a strawbale home with solar thermal collector plates for radiant floor heating. Describing themselves as the most experienced wind and solar integrators in Missouri and Kansas, Susan’s presentation clearly dazzled and impressed the seminar attendees and demonstrated that not only is solar possible in the Midwest but rapidly becoming more accesible and commonplace.
With a main show room in Lenexa, Kansas and an auxilliary showroom in Webster Groves, the Energy Savings Store is well equipped to serve the bi-state region. The founder and owner of TESS, Bob Solger currently serves as a board member and treasurer for the new Missouri Chapter of the Solar Energy Industry Association, MO-SEIA and has been an active member of the Kansas City based chapter of the American Solar Energy Society, Heartland Renewable Energy Society for years. Last fall, one of Bob’s projects, the Eco-School House at Grant Elementary in Columbia, Missouri was shown on the Show Me Solar Tour, the local tour event coordinated with the ASES National Solar tour event the first weekend of every October. Jeffrey Owens, Executive Director of Show Me Solar, hopes to feature more of The Energy Savings Store’s solar energy homes on this year’s Show Me Solar Tour event to be held Saturday, October 2nd.
For more information on The Energy Savings Store please visit their website at http://www.ewindandsolar.com/
For more information on MO-SEIA, the new Missouri chapter of the Solar Energy Industry Association please visit their website at: http://moseia.org/
Yesterday evening three members of Show Me Solar met online to continue work on the first of two planned demonstration carts to be used by Show Me Solar volunteers and associates at educational outreach events and solar photovoltaic training workshops planned for this spring. Individually, each cart will demonstrate a working solar module and combined the carts will provide a platform on which to train on the installation of a four module string array.
The front of each cart consists of a simulated roof complete with rafters and shingles showing the common mounting techniques for roofs. A components board on the back will display the electronics and electrical equipment used in a photovoltaic system to convert the direct current (D.C.) of the solar module into alternating current (A.C.) for household use. The design includes a bi-directional utility meter for use in explaining how photovoltaic systems are net-metered when connected to the grid. A bottom shelf will hold batteries allowing demonstration of off-grid and battery back-up solar systems. Light sockets and an outlet will add to the demonstration features of the cart.
The project now enters phase one of construction to include assembly of the cart itself. Phases 2 and 3 will consist of racking, electronics, electrical and the module itself respectively. Labor and materials are currently being donated to the nonprofit Show Me Solar for use by the organization in it’s mission to bring solar energy closer to home one ray of sunshine at a time. Donations are recognized or remain anonymous according to the donor’s preference. For more information on Show Me Solar, to donate to this project or to volunteer to participate in a project like the PV cart project please visit www.ShowMeSolar.org and follow the website navigational links.
UPDATE: The Show Me Solar educational demonstration and training solar carts are now complete (see photos below). Show Me Solar continues to seek donations of solar racking, modules and/or electronics for use with the solar carts. To donate to this project in exchange for promotional advertisement please contact Jeffrey Owens at jowens@showmesolar.org
ShowMeSolar.org – As part of an ongoing guest speaker series, Dr . Dane Glueck, President of Missouri Solar Living and the first president of MO-SEIA, the Missouri Chapter of the Solar Energy Industry Association spoke to members of Show Me Solar 
yesterday evening. Dane’s presentation was titled “Exploring your solar options”. Answering questions along the way, Dane covered his personal and professional recommendations in three areas of solar energy – solar space heating, solar water heating and solar electricity. Using state of the art internet conferencing software the experience was as if the speaker was in the room with the audience.
Based in St. Louis, Missouri Solar Living is a leading solar integrator with a wide variety of installations ranging from more conventional 1 and 2kW utility interactive rooftop installations to a 20kW+ installation integrated into a net-zero green building project at Washington University’s Tyson Research Center in Eureka, Missouri that is pushing the envelope of what the technology can achieve to new heights.
The only Missouri based company with a NABCEP PV certified installer on staff, Missouri Solar Living has joined a bevy of small Missouri solar businesses to form the trade association MO-SEIA, the Missouri Chapter of the Solar Energy Industry Association. To download a copy of his presentation and to learn more about Missouri Solar Living, past and current projects and the products and services they offer visit www.MissouriSolarLiving.com
To learn more about MO-SEIA visit http://moseia.org
Santa Rita, Eco-Market, San Juan, Puerto Rico In keeping with the themes of sustainability, fair trade, organic farming and social justice on which the Santa Rita Eco-Market has been built, today’s market saw the curious addition of a low cost easy to build solar oven.
Jeffrey Owens, Executive Director of the nonprofit organization Show Me Solar led an informal workshop centered on the art of cooking by solar power demonstrating how one could construct a working solar oven for less than $10.
Along with a step by step explanation of this do it yourself project, Jeff explained the benefits of solar cooking especially in parts of the world where traditional cooking fuels are scarce or nonexistent. For many families, solar ovens can save hours of time searching for firewood, alleviate the problem of asthma in children by reducing exposure to the smoke of open pit fires all the while operating from free fuel – abundant sunshine!
In addition, during emergency circumstances food may be prepared regardless of the availability of fuel and the same principle of concentrating sunlight to 
heat food can also be used to purify water. In fact, Sun Ovens international has teamed up with Friends of Haiti to deliver large village size solar ovens and water purification units to areas of the island hit hard by last month’s earthquake. In support of this mission, Show Me Solar is matching funds raised from it’s annual solar oven raffle fundraiser in order to help send Sun Ovens to Haiti.
If you would like to contribute directly to the Haiti mission please visit www.SunOven.com
For more information on Show Me Solar including a description of the organization, it’s mission and a calendar of events please visit www.ShowMeSolar.org
To download a set of plans to build your own solar oven click here.
Plaza Las Americas, San Juan, Puerto Rico Solar energy technology has arrived to the island all the way from Europe in the form of a new partnership between IP Pevafersa of Toro, Spain and Puerto Rican owned Pevafersa America. With a new facility
in Humacao poised to launch the first of three solar module assembly lines this March, the annual production for each line of 20 MW should reach a planned production capacity of 60 MW of modules by 2012. Processed multi-crystalline silicon solar cells manufactured by the parent company in Spain and mono-crystalline cells from the United States will be shipped into the factory in Humacao from overseas for integration into assembled modules ranging in power from 180W to 240W.
Pevafersa America has already struck sales contracts for it’s solar modules with solar energy companies local to San Juan including Caribbean Energy Distributor corporation and AFREnergy, Inc. In conjunction with a broader Health and Ecology exhibition taking place throughout Plaza las Americas from now until Sunday, free presentations on solar energy open to the general public are offered every evening on the main stage in front of JC Penny’s store. All three solar enterprises have exhibit booths just down from the main stage, staffed with company representatives throughout the day. Visitors are welcome to stop by each company’s display anytime during regular mall hours to ask questions and learn more.
Events | Jeffrey Owens February 27, 2010 | 
Comments (92) 
