News for February 25, 2003

Hal Aronson, of Rahus-Solar Schoolhouse Program,
conducts a staff workshop at the Headlands Institute,
an Outdoor Environmental Education School. Rahus
is piloting curriculum materials at 5 Outdoor Ed schools
this Winter/Spring. Over 150,000 students attend Outdoor
Education Schools in California each year.

Energy debt rouses solar users [Fresno]

CEC rules on changes to Renewable Energy Program

Ojai Solar launches Knowledge Is Power Program

Shell Solar completes photovoltaic installation at Cal State Northridge University

Solar powers three Whole Foods Market stores [Los Angeles]

Solar, Wind, and Fuel Cells to Fuel Economic Growth

Grant will help students learn about solar power [Pittsburg, CA]

Pleasanton Fairgrounds' stables to rein in sun's power

IN BRIEF

Update on CPUC Solar Exit Fee Issue - Your letters, faxes, calls, emails are definitely helping. An alternative proposed decision was presented by Commissioner Lynch which exempts net-metered solar systems. Commissioner Peevey has talked about drafting another alternative decision that exempts all renewable energy and "ultraclean" technologies from exits fees. That includes solar, wind, biomass, and all other renewables. It goes even further than Commissioner Lynch's alternate decision, but hasn't been posted yet for review. What's next? There will be a hearing on February 27 (10 am: California Public Utilities Commission, 505 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco) at which public comments are allowed. Then the Commission will finalize their decision language and vote at their March 13 meeting. What can you do? Attend the hearing on Thursday Feb. 27(if nearby), and keep your letters & emails coming, if you haven't already sent one. For sample letters and email forms. [Thx to CCEnergy, VoteSolar, NextGeneration, Powerlight, and CalSeia for the updates]

California Fees May Hit Renewable Power Generation -Billions of dollars of proposed fees pending before the California Public Utility Commission threaten to cloud the future of California's burgeoning renewable energy industry and work at cross purposes with state programs to promote clean, efficient technologies to meet the state's growing demand for electricity, say energy industry executives. In the coming weeks, the commission is expected to vote on a proposed decision which would impose "exit fees" on thousands of California business and home owners who have installed their own electric generation equipment. The fees are aimed at recovering costs incurred in the wake of the state's electric industry deregulation mess. more... [Ed. note: this article provides decent background on the exit fee issue, with a supportive quote from one of the commissioners]

Winners of California Solar Center Survey - Congratulations to Kathy Jacks, from the City of Arcata, and John Berlin, of Northern California Power Agency, on winning the California Solar Center Survey raffle. Kathy received a framed copy of our SunPower poster, while John received a copy of "From Space to Earth - the Story of Solar Electricity". Thank you to everyone who participated in the survey last September. Your input was very valuable is helping to shape our ongoing work.

California PV Utility Managers Meet - PV program managers, from California's municipal utilities, met for the first time in late January to share program implementation experiences and explore areas of potential collaboration. The meeting was inspired by a desire to better design and implement PV incentive programs and projects, such that the net effect is to bring grid-tied photovoltaics into the mainstream within the decade. A next meeting is to be scheduled for later this Spring and will include representatives from the investor-owned utilities and the California Energy Commission. The meeting was facilitated by The Rahus Institute/ California Solar Center and sponsored by City of Palo Alto Utilities.

Clean Power Estimator adds Policy Evaluation Tool - Ever wonder what a federal residential tax credit would do to the consumer economics? or ask the question - Why is there no market growth, we have a 50% buy down? Well now there is a tool you can play with to answer those questions. Essentially, it is an attachment to an on line consumer calculator, the Clean Power Estimator (CPE). Many users may be familiar with the CPE. It is available through many State and industry web sites. The Beta Policy Evaluation Tool is an attachment to a nationwide version of the CPE, allowing users to set up their own unique database of policy. The tool is available publicly, but initiated with a user name and password so that users can save their data bases. If the user runs the program on the default policy, the existing CPE database of current policies is tapped. The CPE also has a nationwide database of rates, allowing users to get exact geographic benchmarks. Please check out this new tool developed for NREL by Clean Power Research. www.clean-power.com/nrelpv

New California Electricity Forecast Reports available online- Five draft staff reports for the 2003 Energy Policy Report are now available on the California Energy Commission website. The reports and their publication numbers are: 100-03-001SD - Comparative Cost of California Central Station Electricity Generation Technologies; 100-03-002SD - California Energy Demand 2003-2023 Forecast; 100-03-003SD - California Investor-Owned Utilities Retail Electricity Price Outlook 2003-2013; 100-03-005SD - California Municipal Utilities Retail Electricity Outlook 2003-2013; 100-03-004SD - Preliminary Electricity and Natural Gas Infrastructure Assumptions. To download the reports,

Solar Decathlon Request for Proposal 2005 - The Solar Decathlon is an intercollegiate competition among student teams that will design, build, and operate solar-powered houses. This competition is open exclusively to colleges, universities and other post-secondary educational institutions. Let's get a California team there this time! more info on the RFP

Events

3/1 Solar Power for your Home or Business [Alameda] - Workshop at Lincoln Middle School from 9am - 12 noon celebrating the 1 year anniversary of the school's photovoltaic system. Presented by LMS students, Alamedan Dr. Susan Kuner from Helioline, and Tor Allen from Rahus Institute. Free. Register at www.helioline.com or phone 415 242-9089.

3/1 Salton Sea RE Tour - The League of Women Voters of San Diego will be hosting a bus tour on Sat., March 1 to discuss regional energy and water issues. The tour is limited to the first 47 registered attendees. The first stop on the tour will be the Covanta Geothermal plant in Heber, CA where we will tour the facility and discuss renewable energy and regional energy planning. We then depart for the Salton Sea Refuge while discussing the proposed Water Transfer with a representative of the Imperial Irrigation District (IID). A picnic lunch will be provided as we discuss the effects of the transfer with a representative from the Sonny Bono Refuge. The tour will include informative videos, background information on local energy issues and water resources, and area experts on hand to answer your questions. Departing at 8 am on Saturday, March 1 from the League office at 1094 Cudahy Place off of the Morena Blvd. exit.We expect to return by 5:00 pm. Cost of the trip is $30 for League members and $40 for non-members. For more information, call the League office at 619-275-1147 or email lwvcity@tns.net.

3/3-8 Workshop: Women's Photovoltaic Design and Installation [SEI -Santa Cruz, California] - Participants in the PV Design & Installation workshop learn how to use PV (photovoltaic) technology to produce their own electricity from the sun. The workshop focuses on the practical design and installation of home PV systems. Participants learn system sizing, site analysis, hardware specification and component selection. The workshop covers typical applications and case study examples. March 7 and 8 will be a hands-on grid tied installation working with local installer, Akeena Solar. Click here for more information.

3/14 Basics of Photovoltaic (PV) Systems [San Francisco] - Darren Bouton from City of San Jose, conducts this free thorough workshop at the Pacific Energy Center. 9am to 4:30pm. Register online

3/14 Solar Schools: PV as a Learning Tool [San Diego] - 8:30 to 11:30 am. This workshop will present information on how to use photovoltaics (PV or solar electric) as a learning tool in the classroom. Topics to be covered include: PV equipment options, financing & incentive options, Division of the State Architect (DSA) design and approval process, metering options to bring data into the classroom, display options to make PV a permanent learning tool, classroom curriculum, and special projects. Agenda/Flyer. Co-Sponsored by the Rahus Institute/Solar Schoolhouse and San Diego Regional Energy Office. Register Online

4/1 and 4/2: Solar Schools: PV as a Learning Tool [San Francisco and San Jose] - 1 to 4:30 pm. This workshop will present information on how to use photovoltaics (PV or solar electric) as a learning tool in the classroom. Topics to be covered include: PV equipment options, financing & incentive options, Division of the State Architect (DSA) design and approval process, metering options to bring data into the classroom, display options to make PV a permanent learning tool, classroom curriculum, and special projects. Agenda/Flyer. Co-Sponsored by the Rahus Institute/Solar Schoolhouse and Pacific Energy Center. Register Online

Installer Training offered throughout California by Solar Living Institute - SLI is offering solar installer training throughout California, starting in March and going through August. If you are a contractor, an electrician, or affiliated in any way with affordable housing, this class is for you. These day-long classes are geared to those with previous electrical experience who need the code and installation information specifically related to photovoltaic installations. The goal of the program is to increase the pool of qualified installers available to serve the public throughout the state. The recommended prerequisite for attending this class is apprentice or journeyman level electrician status or equivalent experience.The course covers basic PV concepts, site analysis, performance calculations, pv array and balance of system installation issues, special wiring considerations, wiring methods, and issues relating to the NEC code and utility interconnection. Photovoltaic system equipment will be available to demonstrate the principles shared in class. Classes are taught by a pool of experienced instructors who have years of hands-on solar electric experience, including Bill Brooks of Endecon Engineering, Douglas Livingston, veteran PV instructor, Jeff Oldham, Project Manager of the Real Goods Solar Living Center and 20 year PV veteran Douglas Bath. More information and registration details.

Jobs

NABCEP Exec Director - The North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP), a nonprofit organization developing certification for renewable energy installers, is seeking an Executive Director. This is a high-level management position with significant responsibilities for the development and management of this exam-based certification program. The position is in Malta (outside of Albany), New York. More details. NABCEP plans to fill this position immediately. Resumes and salary requirements should be sent (email preferred) by March 14 to: Wendy Parker, P.O. Box 260095, Highlands Ranch, CO 80163; fax: (303) 470-4748; wparker@nabcep.org.

CalSEIA Executive Director - Full-time Executive Director, the California Solar Energy Industries Association (CAL SEIA), located in Sacramento, California. More detail here. Interested parties should email resumes to the attention of Sue Kateley, CAL SEIA Administrator at teamrio@windcraft.com or fax to 707-374-4767 (email preferred). Resumes of qualified candidates will be forwarded to a selection panel.