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In this issue
This is the first Solar Bus Newsletter. There are several purposes of the newsletter, including:
The Solar Bus is now hibernating, taking a well deserved rest. The first season of the Solar Bus was nothing short of incredible. Six short months ago, Solar was sitting in a used truck lot in L.A., wondering if she'd ever feel her tires on the road again. Since then, she's put thousands of miles behind her, many running on clean-burning biodiesel fuel. She went to three festivals and demonstrated renewable energy to thousands of people. She helped rescue two dogs. She helped organize two group purchases of biodiesel fuel. She got her own website, which is filled with free educational information. She's helped organize two potluck dinners for all her diesel vehicle friends (and their owners). Besides being painted green and having her name tattooed to her side, she's had all her insides removed and replaced with bunkbeds, tables, and couches.
Thanks to all who helped make the first year of the Solar Bus an incredible one. I'd like to especially thank Mark Nigels for all his help. The thank you page on the Solar Bus website lists several others who need to be thanked.
One of the most exciting projects for next year is that Solar will be getting a conversion which will enable her to run on vegetable oil. Because the Solar Bus is an educational project, we will make this an opportunity for others to watch and/or help. Besides getting the conversion, Solar is going to get some solar (photovoltaic) panels installed on her roof. We are in the process of talking to manufacturers and retailers about this, looking for donations. This is a great opportunity for a company to donate a few panels and get free promotion everywhere Solar goes. Most of all, the first year of the Solar Bus was fun and inspiring. Thanks to everyone! 3. How many solar panels would it take? Ever wonder how many solar panels it would take to satisfy the electrical needs of the entire country? What would you guess? How much room would all the panels take up? The answer to this question is surprisingly easy to figure out. All it takes is simple math and a basic understanding of Photovoltaic system design. The answer is calculated below:
Yes, you read that right -- we could power the nation by covering about 5.5% of the state of Arizona with solar panels!!! Is this a crude estimation? Yes. Could people think up factors to throw in that would make the answer higher or lower? Yes. Would it be practical to distribute all power in the US from one generation site in Arizona? No. Would anyone who understands energy ever propose to do something like this, without incorporating wind power and other renewable energy sources, no. But having said all that, this number can be used as a reference point. It's amazing just to think that we could build that many solar panels (which, by the way, would be a HUGE spark to our economy) and put them out in the desert and power our entire nation, even if the number was twice as high. Kind of makes you wonder, why don't we use more solar than we are? Even if we don't power the whole nation, it seems like we could do more than we are to wean ourselves from oil and coal, and the numbers show it is a reasonable undertaking.
In the next issue of the newsletter, we'll explore how much this would cost, and how it compares to what we currently spend on other fuels.
4. Vermont roundup Vermont seems to be a hotspot for renewable energy interest. If you live in the area, here's a list of dates, news items, and services that you might want to be aware of:
5. Eco Action Alert Do you think it would be a good idea for there to be more wind energy projects in Vermont, so we can wean ourselves from dirty and imported energy technologies? East Haven Windfarm (referenced above) needs your help to let the Governor and other policy makers know that Vermonters want wind power. Please take a moment to contact the officials listed below expressing your support for the East Mountain project (and other wind projects in the state). Let them know that the project will:
You can send a short note to the following state and local officials just by clicking on the links below.
For more information:
Dave Rapaport 6. National Solar News There is much going on in the world that relates renewable energy, but it usually doesn't make the headlines. Here, it does. Click the highlighted text to read more about an issue. This unique format makes it possible to get an overview of news, and full stories are available for the subjects that are most interesting. Some of the links in this section require a log in, like to articles in the NY Times or LA Times. We try to minimize links like this and only include ones that offer free accounts.
7. Spring Workshops The Solar Bus is starting to plan Spring workshops. The first workshop will cover two subjects: vegetable oil conversions, and solar energy. Ken Oldrid will teach the segment on vehicle conversions, during which a vehicle (possibly the Solar Bus) will be converted. If you've seen any of the vegetable oil cars driving in the Burlington area, chances are Ken had something to do with it and we are very happy to have him teach this portion of the workshop. Gary Beckwith will teach the segment on solar energy. This will also include hands-on experience. Gary has 12+ years experience designing over 1,000 renewable energy systems that are currently in use all over the world. He's taught many classes on renewable energy technology, and was a writer and editor of the Alternative Energy Soucebook and the Solar Living Sourcebook. This will be a 2-day workshop, in the Green Mountains near Burlington, with camping available. We're going to try to make it not only educational, but fun too, with a bonfire and swimming. Space will be very limited, so let us know soon if you are interested. More details on this workshop, and others, will come soon. 8. Solar Bus Website updates As always, the address of the Solar Bus website is http://solarbus.org. The site has been growing exponentially since it began this summer. A few recent additions to note are:
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Solar's favorite part of the whole summer was going to the festivals and meeting all the interesting and nice people. Some stopped by just to chat, or play hackey sack in her shade. Others really wanted to learn about biodiesel or solar energy. Most enjoyed reading all the bumper stickers and gazing at the solar powered spin toys. She was just glad to be around people again, and to be doing something good.
It is now January and Solar is hibernating, mainly to aviod the harmful salt on the roads. But she's very excited about the Spring and the plans we are making for her next season. When the warm weather returns, we'll have more potlucks, go to more festivals, and we will be offering workshops (more details on the workshops later in this newsletter).
VT Wind Energy Update: State Senator Vince Illuzi (R) recently proposed a moratorium on commercial wind projects in Vermont. This has confused many of us who have long considered him to be a key advocate of renewable energy. He recently held a public meeting in Orleans to receive input from both sides. According to people who attended, there were many more wind energy advocates than opponents at the meeting. Hopefully this will have an impact on his moratorium proposal.