IT’S A DELICIOUS, IF TORTUROUS, CYCLE WITH ME: just when I’m on the brink of throwing up my hands and writing all humanity off as a wretched lot of uberconsumerist, plastic-mongering jackasses who deserve to suffocate in the ozone-depleted bed we’ve made for ourselves — lo and behold, some brightly shining soul or earth-conscious initiative …
By Mike Rosso
High on a ridgetop south of Salida sits the possible future of solar energy generation.
In May 2010 the SolFocus Concentrator Photovoltaic (CPV) system, the first of its kind in Colorado, began generating electricity from the sun on property owned by Salidans Michael and Joyce Ferree.
by Michael Brown
There is an SOS coming from communities across the nation: Save Our Schools. With the rise of new financing tools like power purchase agreements (PPAs) and the right support from the public and politicians, we believe we have an answer: Schools On Solar.
Schools nationwide are in dire fiscal straits and have been forced to make hard financial decisions to stay afloat – usually by shutting down an increasingly comprehensive list of classes, skimping on materials and shutting down operations.
by Aaron Mandelkorn
The solar electricity industry is currently embracing two distinctive approaches best described as centralized and distributed energy models. In recent years the shift from distributed, utility-owned solar electric systems to large private utility scale, and utility/ owner systems has become more prevalent. Each approach has its pros and cons and the truth is, we need renewable energy in any and every capacity we can get it. Education and understanding of renewable energy alternatives is necessary to make the best choices for our future energy needs.
This is the first article in a six-part series dedicated to renewable energies.
by Aaron Mandelkorn
Solar energy is not a new concept. For years, civilizations utilized the power of the sun’s rays to warm their homes and dry their food and clothes. Today, we know so much more about what the sun can do. No better example of this is found than in Photovoltaic electricity, or PV for short. This term refers to the electrical current that is generated when light reacts with a solar cell, which is generally made from silicate.
Sidebar by Slim Wolfe
Solar Energy – January 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine
Some basics about photovoltaic and other power systems
Do solar panels work under a cloud? Yes, but slowly: allow about twice the time as you’d need on a sunny day.
What about wind generators? They’re best when mounted on a 40-foot pole or tower, above ground turbulence. They vibrate and can be quite noisy, and your tower must be anchored and guyed. There are many models, starting at about $600 (for a roof-mounted unit supplying about 400 watts, which is suitable for supplemental power to a solar system), and additional gear may be required.
Article by Slim Wolfe
Solar Energy – January 2003 – Colorado Central Magazine
As the Russian said when visiting the modern cabin on a Canadian lake: “This is nice for a town house, but where is your place in the country?”
THE DECEMBER ARTICLE about solar-powered living was excellent for those who want to borrow money and hire the job out, but off-grid living is also accessible for those with allergies to bankers and hired contractors, who might prefer to do it “the cowboy way,” that is, with gumption, ingenuity, elbow grease, and cusswords.