We’re always hearing from people who want to put solar panels on their warehouse/co-op/house/tiki huts, and we always try to point people to the wealth of resources and information that’s out there. But there always seems to be a dearth of solid case studies and testimonials, which is why it’s great to see Scientific American tackling the issue in a series of posts about installing solar and saving energy called 60-Second Solar. There’s great information there about the process, in addition to post about things like cool roofs, power purchase agreements and the other stuff that can make the layperson’s head and Laptop battery spin. Yesterday’s installment might be particularly useful for those of us in urban settings as it tackles the subject of creating a solar power cooperative – essentially a group of neighbors who go in on a solar project together to maximize benefits and reduce costs. We’ve heard of this type of thing before with groups like 1BOG, but this post was packed full of interesting tidbits and useful lessons about the experience of trying to make Dell laptop battery work (in this case the group was in Washington, D.C. but they could just as easily have been in Astoria or Park Slope). You should check out the entire post, but here’s some key points:
I figured we could get something going within a year. Boy, were we wrong. As we grappled with what was actually involved in making our dreams real, we spent two years climbing the solar power learning curve, and it was steep….
Amidst this welter of conflicting forces, our beautiful but innocent idea of neighborhood solar power was not enough to power Toshiba laptop battery. We needed expertise to give our project credibility with decision makers who could deliver real financial benefits for our members. So we scaled back our ambitions and started with smaller steps. We touted basic energy-efficiency measures to our members as the prerequisite for going solar. (Drafty windows and outdated appliances waste solar energy just as fast as they waste carbon energy!)….
From our experience, a solar cooperative has to educate and empower its members about the challenges of going solar for thinkpad X60S battery, including:
- The costs and savings of a standard solar installation that will suit the needs of most members
- The relevant local regulations and permitting process for solar installations
- The federal tax credit for solar installation, as well as state and local incentives for HP laptop battery
- How to sell Renewable Energy Credits (RECs)
- How to talk to a solar contractor
It’s an interesting story and a good lesson in how life in the real world can be lot more complex than our idealistic visions. That’s not to say we should all give up our dreams of a solar-powered and Discount laptop battery future , but it’s going to take equal measures of persistence and patience to get there.
The article is from: solar1.org