Thursday, February 5, 2009
2009 Schedule of Events
For a summary of the 2009 Guilford Solar schedule of events, please visit: http://guilford.ces.ncsu.edu:80/index.php?page=events&event_id=13842
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Learn how to cool effectively and efficiently
Guilford Solar's monthly program for December will feature a presentation on effective and efficient cooling, by Michiel VanderSommen. Specifics are as follows:
What: Guilford Solar's December program
When: Saturday, December 13, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Where: Barn Kitchen Meeting Room of the Guilford County Agricultural Center, 3309 Burlington Road, Greensboro, NC 27405
Cost: Free
Description:
For our December program, Michiel VanderSommen will offer a presentation on "Cooling Effectively and Efficiently." Cooling is a particular challenge here in the Piedmont Triad, as we lack useful wind and are saddled with high humidity. Michiel will concentrate on "passive" cooling but will also discuss the more conventional AC (and the maintenance thereof). He will consider the purpose of shrubbery, discuss such concepts as albedo and heat island, and cover the importance of shading, among other things. Because the topic of insulation (which is clearly relevant to cooling) was covered in our November Guilford Solar meeting, it will not be emphasized here.
For more information, call 336-375-5876
What: Guilford Solar's December program
When: Saturday, December 13, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Where: Barn Kitchen Meeting Room of the Guilford County Agricultural Center, 3309 Burlington Road, Greensboro, NC 27405
Cost: Free
Description:
For our December program, Michiel VanderSommen will offer a presentation on "Cooling Effectively and Efficiently." Cooling is a particular challenge here in the Piedmont Triad, as we lack useful wind and are saddled with high humidity. Michiel will concentrate on "passive" cooling but will also discuss the more conventional AC (and the maintenance thereof). He will consider the purpose of shrubbery, discuss such concepts as albedo and heat island, and cover the importance of shading, among other things. Because the topic of insulation (which is clearly relevant to cooling) was covered in our November Guilford Solar meeting, it will not be emphasized here.
For more information, call 336-375-5876
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Learn about insulation
Guilford Solar's monthly program for November will feature a presentation on insulation by John Anderson of Insulation Solutions, Inc. Specifics are as follows:
What: Guilford Solar's November program
When: Saturday, November 8, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Where: Barn Kitchen Meeting Room of the Guilford
County Agricultural Center, 3309 Burlington
Road, Greensboro, NC 27405
Cost: Free
Description:
Mr. Anderson will describe, and discuss the differences among, four types of insulation: fiberglass, cellulose, open-cell foam, and closed-cell foam. He will compare the pros and cons of each type and rate their effectiveness. He will also talk about the effectiveness and importance of the installation process and its impact on energy usage and costs. "You can choose one of the foam insulations at a relatively high cost, but if it isn't installed properly the effect can be hindered".
For more information, call 336-375-5876.
What: Guilford Solar's November program
When: Saturday, November 8, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Where: Barn Kitchen Meeting Room of the Guilford
County Agricultural Center, 3309 Burlington
Road, Greensboro, NC 27405
Cost: Free
Description:
Mr. Anderson will describe, and discuss the differences among, four types of insulation: fiberglass, cellulose, open-cell foam, and closed-cell foam. He will compare the pros and cons of each type and rate their effectiveness. He will also talk about the effectiveness and importance of the installation process and its impact on energy usage and costs. "You can choose one of the foam insulations at a relatively high cost, but if it isn't installed properly the effect can be hindered".
For more information, call 336-375-5876.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Soaking up the solars
So you think "drill here, drill now" isn't quite the way to go? We don't either. This is part of what you will see and what you will hear about at the October 4 Piedmont Green Gala. Be seen and be green.
Friday, September 5, 2008
First Annual Piedmont Green Gala
Drop what you're doing and mark your calendars! On Saturday, October 4, the First Annual Piedmont Green Gala will be held at T.S. Designs, in Burlington. This will be the hands-down biggest green event ever held in the Piedmont Triad.
Featured will be solar and wind power generation, biodiesel production, alternative transportation (hybrids, biodiesel, electric cars), sustainable agriculture (organic gardens, composting), water conservation and grey water use, sustainable business practices, two workshops on renewable energy and energy efficiency tax credits, display tables, locally produced food and beverages, musical entertainment, and -- above all -- some folks who are nothing short of inspiring.
Check out the full list of features, time-schedule, and location details at the PGG website: http://www.piedmontgreengala.com/
Directions to T.S. Designs (in Burlington):
Normally, there are several straightforward routes for getting to T.S. Designs from I-40. However, due to recent road construction, I am going to recommend one route only:
--Whether you are arriving from the east or from the west on I-40, use Exit 143, and take Route 62 south.
--Proceed south on Route 62 for slightly more than a mile, until you reach Troxler.
--Turn right onto Troxler and proceed for approximately 0.3 miles to Willow Spring Lane.
--Turn right onto Willow Spring Lane and you will see the driveway for T.S. Designs on your left.
--NOTE: Event volunteers will provide "parking management." Please follow their instructions.
Be seen and be green!
Featured will be solar and wind power generation, biodiesel production, alternative transportation (hybrids, biodiesel, electric cars), sustainable agriculture (organic gardens, composting), water conservation and grey water use, sustainable business practices, two workshops on renewable energy and energy efficiency tax credits, display tables, locally produced food and beverages, musical entertainment, and -- above all -- some folks who are nothing short of inspiring.
Check out the full list of features, time-schedule, and location details at the PGG website: http://www.piedmontgreengala.com/
Directions to T.S. Designs (in Burlington):
Normally, there are several straightforward routes for getting to T.S. Designs from I-40. However, due to recent road construction, I am going to recommend one route only:
--Whether you are arriving from the east or from the west on I-40, use Exit 143, and take Route 62 south.
--Proceed south on Route 62 for slightly more than a mile, until you reach Troxler.
--Turn right onto Troxler and proceed for approximately 0.3 miles to Willow Spring Lane.
--Turn right onto Willow Spring Lane and you will see the driveway for T.S. Designs on your left.
--NOTE: Event volunteers will provide "parking management." Please follow their instructions.
Be seen and be green!
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Guilford Solar to present program on biofuels
The monthly program for September will consist of a presentation on biofuels by Dr. Ghasem Shahbazi, of NC A&T State University. Specifics are as follows:
What: Guilford Solar September program
When: Saturday, September 13, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Where: Barn Kitchen Meeting Room of the Guilford County Agricultural Center, 3309 Burlington Road, Greensboro, NC 27405
Cost: Free
Description:
Dr. Ghasem Shahbazi, Director of Biological Engineering at NC A&T State University, will present a seminar on ethanol as the dominant biofuel in the country. In this presentation, Dr. Shahbazi will compare ethanol production from corn versus lignocellulosic biomass. He will discuss various technologies for producing ethanol from lignocellulosic feedstock. He will also discuss various national biofuel plans and will present results from selected research projects at NC A&T State University.
Dr. Shahbazi is currently serving as a member of the board of directors for the Biofuel Center of NC. As such, he will provide insights into the planning and operation of the BC of NC and discuss the efforts directed towards recruiting biofuel manufacturers to set up plants in NC. Dr. Shahbazi has a MSc. degree from UC Davis and a Ph. D. degree from Pennsylvania State University in Agricultural and Biological Engineering. He is a veteran of 20 years of biofuel research at NC A&T State University, School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.
For more information, call 336-375-5876.
What: Guilford Solar September program
When: Saturday, September 13, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Where: Barn Kitchen Meeting Room of the Guilford County Agricultural Center, 3309 Burlington Road, Greensboro, NC 27405
Cost: Free
Description:
Dr. Ghasem Shahbazi, Director of Biological Engineering at NC A&T State University, will present a seminar on ethanol as the dominant biofuel in the country. In this presentation, Dr. Shahbazi will compare ethanol production from corn versus lignocellulosic biomass. He will discuss various technologies for producing ethanol from lignocellulosic feedstock. He will also discuss various national biofuel plans and will present results from selected research projects at NC A&T State University.
Dr. Shahbazi is currently serving as a member of the board of directors for the Biofuel Center of NC. As such, he will provide insights into the planning and operation of the BC of NC and discuss the efforts directed towards recruiting biofuel manufacturers to set up plants in NC. Dr. Shahbazi has a MSc. degree from UC Davis and a Ph. D. degree from Pennsylvania State University in Agricultural and Biological Engineering. He is a veteran of 20 years of biofuel research at NC A&T State University, School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.
For more information, call 336-375-5876.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
Three Major Solar Projects for NC
After years of false starts, large-scale solar power is scheduled to come to North Carolina.
Progress Energy is planning a 1.2-megawatt solar farm on 10 acres in Wilmington, to be built at the same complex as the utility's coal-burning power plants, it announced Friday. The solar farm could generate enough power for about 800 homes on sunny days. It is expected to start generating electricity this year. The Progress Energy solar project will be developed, owned and operated by SunEdison, a national solar developer in Maryland. SunEdison will sell the power it generates to Progress, which will then redistribute the electricity to its customers.
SunEdison announced two other solar projects in the state this year:
* a 1-megawatt project on the Cary campus of software developer SAS, which will sell power to Progress.
* a 16-megawatt solar farm in Davidson County that will sell power to Duke Energy.
The Davidson County project appears puny compared with the 900-megawatt Shearon Harris nuclear plant in Wake County, but it's colossal by solar standards. The nation's largest solar project is about 14 megawatts, at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.
North Carolina, a state where solar energy has never been adopted on a large scale, is suddenly developing three significant solar projects. "It's about time," said Stephen Kalland, director of the N.C. Solar Center at N.C. State University. "The technology has been there for some time." The interest in solar in this state is being driven by a 2007 state law requiring that power companies tap renewable resources. The law may elevate North Carolina to a national solar hot spot; utilities must develop an estimated 300 megawatts of solar power by 2021 to meet the renewables standard, Kalland said.
Progress Energy, Duke Energy and municipal power agencies are all reviewing proposals from developers of renewable power, including solar, wind and biomass resources. Duke plans to develop its own statewide solar power network on about 850 sites, primarily rooftops.
North Carolina's potential for 300 megawatts is likely to look less impressive over time. An 800-megawatt solar proposal is in the works in California. That project would put solar power on the same scale as the behemoths of energy -- nuclear power plants and coal-burning plants. Today, North Carolina has less than a half-megawatt of solar power, mostly rooftop projects on private homes that are subsidized by NC GreenPower, a Raleigh nonprofit group that has been supporting solar projects since 2004. NC GreenPower has 167 solar projects; many are so small that they don't generate enough power for one home.
The high cost of silicon wafers and rising demand for silicon by the computer chip industry have been major impediments to solar development. Generating solar energy once cost about five times as much as building conventional power plants, putting solar out of reach unless it was heavily subsidized. The cost of nuclear power is soaring, but solar power is still about twice as costly as nuclear, Kalland said.
North Carolina regulation of utilities presents another obstacle to solar. Solar developers such as SunEdison are not allowed to sell electricity to businesses or homes. They can only sell to power companies, which in the past were unwilling to invest in solar energy, because it was expensive. Solar systems produce emissions-free electricity without greenhouse gases or radioactive nuclear waste. The downside is that solar power operates only about 20 percent of the time, compared with nuclear and coal plants that run around the clock.
The financial terms of the SunEdison contracts are confidential, and utility officials declined to discuss how much they are paying for solar. Progress spokesman Mike Hughes said other factors necessary for solar development include negotiating for land, and often, providing connections to transmission lines. "It's one of the technologies where price has come down and likely will continue to come down," Hughes said.
---------------
John Murawski, Staff Writer
News & Observer
john.murawski@newsobserver.com or (919) 829-8932
Progress Energy is planning a 1.2-megawatt solar farm on 10 acres in Wilmington, to be built at the same complex as the utility's coal-burning power plants, it announced Friday. The solar farm could generate enough power for about 800 homes on sunny days. It is expected to start generating electricity this year. The Progress Energy solar project will be developed, owned and operated by SunEdison, a national solar developer in Maryland. SunEdison will sell the power it generates to Progress, which will then redistribute the electricity to its customers.
SunEdison announced two other solar projects in the state this year:
* a 1-megawatt project on the Cary campus of software developer SAS, which will sell power to Progress.
* a 16-megawatt solar farm in Davidson County that will sell power to Duke Energy.
The Davidson County project appears puny compared with the 900-megawatt Shearon Harris nuclear plant in Wake County, but it's colossal by solar standards. The nation's largest solar project is about 14 megawatts, at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.
North Carolina, a state where solar energy has never been adopted on a large scale, is suddenly developing three significant solar projects. "It's about time," said Stephen Kalland, director of the N.C. Solar Center at N.C. State University. "The technology has been there for some time." The interest in solar in this state is being driven by a 2007 state law requiring that power companies tap renewable resources. The law may elevate North Carolina to a national solar hot spot; utilities must develop an estimated 300 megawatts of solar power by 2021 to meet the renewables standard, Kalland said.
Progress Energy, Duke Energy and municipal power agencies are all reviewing proposals from developers of renewable power, including solar, wind and biomass resources. Duke plans to develop its own statewide solar power network on about 850 sites, primarily rooftops.
North Carolina's potential for 300 megawatts is likely to look less impressive over time. An 800-megawatt solar proposal is in the works in California. That project would put solar power on the same scale as the behemoths of energy -- nuclear power plants and coal-burning plants. Today, North Carolina has less than a half-megawatt of solar power, mostly rooftop projects on private homes that are subsidized by NC GreenPower, a Raleigh nonprofit group that has been supporting solar projects since 2004. NC GreenPower has 167 solar projects; many are so small that they don't generate enough power for one home.
The high cost of silicon wafers and rising demand for silicon by the computer chip industry have been major impediments to solar development. Generating solar energy once cost about five times as much as building conventional power plants, putting solar out of reach unless it was heavily subsidized. The cost of nuclear power is soaring, but solar power is still about twice as costly as nuclear, Kalland said.
North Carolina regulation of utilities presents another obstacle to solar. Solar developers such as SunEdison are not allowed to sell electricity to businesses or homes. They can only sell to power companies, which in the past were unwilling to invest in solar energy, because it was expensive. Solar systems produce emissions-free electricity without greenhouse gases or radioactive nuclear waste. The downside is that solar power operates only about 20 percent of the time, compared with nuclear and coal plants that run around the clock.
The financial terms of the SunEdison contracts are confidential, and utility officials declined to discuss how much they are paying for solar. Progress spokesman Mike Hughes said other factors necessary for solar development include negotiating for land, and often, providing connections to transmission lines. "It's one of the technologies where price has come down and likely will continue to come down," Hughes said.
---------------
John Murawski, Staff Writer
News & Observer
john.murawski@newsobserver.com or (919) 829-8932
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