| 10th Annual National Solar
Tour Is This Weekend
Tomorrow, Saturday, October 1, 2005--as part of the American Solar
Energy Society’s 10th Annual National Solar Tour--home and business
owners are opening their doors to the public to show the cost savings
available to those who use alternative energy sources. Attendance at open houses across the country is expected to be up sharply this year as Americans scramble for relief from rapidly increasing energy prices. Tours will be offered in 43 states and the District of Columbia. They will showcase advances in energy efficient construction, new products and renewable energy technologies. Solar powered and energy efficient homes, businesses, schools and libraries will be on the tour. Some of the featured homes will have electric cars in their driveways. Many of those cars run on energy generated by these solar powered buildings. Highlights include: Arkansas: The Clinton Library in Little Rock will be the starting point of the tour. The newly opened library is a showcase of solar technology and green building practices. A glass wall in the main room overlooks the solar array on the roof below. Several of the homes on the tour are not only powered by the sun, solar electric power ran the compressors, drills, welders and sanders used in their construction. California: Tours in San Francisco, Santa Rosa and San Jose will feature the PV-EV connection and show how power from photovoltaic panels on homes is used to ramp up the batteries of electric vehicles, dramatically reducing reliance on fossil fuels while substantially cutting energy costs. Homes in Los Angeles will showcase everything from the highly technical to the whimsical, with one home offering a solar-powered train that delivers meals from the outdoor kitchen to guests in the garden. New York: New York boasts the second highest number of grid-tied PV’s in the country with many (540) of its solar homes located on Long Island. Some of those homes will be open to the public for the National Solar Tour. In addition, more than 100 Long Island solar homeowners have established a volunteer group to help others learn about solar technology throughout the year. Maine: A conservation fish farm and a historic farmhouse that is now a bed and breakfast and conference center will be on the tour. A large wind turbine powers the farmhouse. A 3,500-foot passive solar home will also be open to the public. It uses a wind turbine, PV panels, solar hot water and floor heat along with re-used building materials, demonstrating that even large homes can be environmentally friendly. Organized locally and promoted nationally, the National Solar Tour provides a unique opportunity to learn first hand what works in people’s own hometown. The tours are organized by chapters of the American Solar Energy Society, state energy offices and other volunteer groups who want to educate the public to be better energy consumers. Local tours and contact information are available on the ASES website at www.ases.org .
To subscribe or visit go to: http://www.greenconsumerguide.com/
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