Solar Tour de Force

It is said that the sun rays falling on the earth in just one HOUR could supply the electricity needs of the whole world for one YEAR.

Tells you a lot about the enormous potential of solar energy. Of course sunlight needs to be captured and fed into electrical circuits, or stored. The good news is that advanced technology to do this already exists and is constantly pressing forward.

Maybe you’ve considered installing some solar panels or a solar hot water system on your roof (or mounted on the ground) but want to see something concrete first?

Just your luck, there’s a National Solar Tour coming up on October 2, 2010, sponsored by the ASES (American Solar Energy Society.) Hundreds of homes, businesses or public buildings with solar arrays will host a tour that day. You can see solar installations with your own eyes, get information, ask your questions.

For a tour close to you, visit http://www.ases.org/ and click on the icon for the National Solar Tour. Let me know how it goes!

Put Solar on It

What would happen if world leaders installed solar panels on their roofs, such as on the White House? Would this symbolize their commitment to promoting solar energy? Bring attention and galvanize others to follow suit?
          All of the above is the impetus behind “Put Solar on It,” a citizen’s campaign that is part of 350.org’s Global Work Party on October 10, 2010—10-10-10. Citizens all over the world are asked to send a note to their leaders (see link below) which ends,
Install solar panels on your roof, and then enact legislation to make it possible for everyone in your country to join you in the clean energy future. We need you to act symbolically—and then we need you to act for real.
          So far Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives has signed on. Other leaders targeted are Barack Obama, Pratibha Patil of India, Felipe Calderon of Mexico, Hu Jintao of China, Julia Gillard of Australia and David Cameron of the United Kingdom.
If you agree with me that this is a great idea, go to http://www.putsolaron.it/ to write to your leaders and get more information.