There is a lot going on in Southern Nevada these days as renewable energy systems are being built and coming online all over the valley. The growth in interest in solar energy is truly amazing and we are proud to be a part of it. Details on some of the latest developments are covered in this issue.

You may have noticed a slight change in the look of our newsletter and web site. Solar NV is evolving and we're updating our "look" as well as our communications methods. Please be patient with the process. It's a work in progress.

We've reworked our logo also. The yellow center represents the sun as a clean source of energy. This transforms into a symbolic green globe. We hope you like it!

Our next monthly meeting is coming up this Thursday, April 20. This month's program will feature a panel of three Solar NV members who will share their experiences living in solar-powered homes. Judy Schaeffer, Chris Brooks and Steve Rypka will each present their personal experience of living with renewable energy.

Topics will include energy efficiency, techniques, planning, passive solar strategies, concerns, etc. Then the format will open to an informal Q&A discussion that everyone can participate in.

Everyone, including nonmembers, are welcome to attend Solar NV meetings so please feel free to invite your friends!

The meeting will be held this Thursday, April 20th at 6:00 PM at The Gardens at the Springs Preserve. The Gardens is located at 3701 W. Alta Drive, east of Valley View Blvd., near US 95.

Location details, directions and a map can be found on our Meetings page.

Special thanks to our good friends at the Springs Preserve who so generously provide such a wonderful meeting space. If you are not familiar with the Springs Preserve, it is a very special, beautiful and educational experience that should not be missed.

The Summerlin Earthfaire is coming up this Saturday, April 22 from 10 AM to 4 PM at the Town Center Park (click here for a map). Solar NV will be among the many exhibitors for this excellent event. There will be lots of great information, music, fun, food and of course, excellent weather!

Solar NV is extending an invitation to join us in helping make this Earthfaire a success. We will have booths for various green technologies including Alternate Building Materials, Alternative Energy (such as biomass), Photovoltaic and Solar Thermal systems. Please contact Laura Padilla (or call Solar NV at the number below) if you can lend a hand for an hour or two (or the whole day if you like). It's a lot of fun and a great way to "give back" a little to the community.

Whether you can volunteer or just come to celebrate Earth Day with us, we look forward to seeing you on Saturday!

Find out more about the Earthfaire...

Nevada Power added another 75 kW of renewable energy capacity last week with three new 25 kW photovoltaic arrays at their Clark Generating Plant near Russell Road and U.S. 95 in Henderson. Officially called an "Integrated High-Concentration Photovoltaic (IHCPV) System," it uses concentrating arrays by Amonix and are housed on pole-mounted trackers that automatically follow the sun's path for maximum output.

Tracking the sun is critical for a concentrating system like this. Since lenses focus the sunlight on a relatively small area of PV material, a slight deviation from the correct angle will cause loss of output.

The system generates enough power for approximately 12 - 15 homes. Because a typical power plant uses water for cooling, this system will save 110,000 gallons of water every year. It will also offset 129 tons of carbon dioxide emissions.

Way to go Nevada Power! Let's see some more clean energy systems out there!

Read more...

The Las Vegas Valley Water District (LVVWD) is building a 3.1 megawatt Distributed Solar Array that will be the largest photovoltaic project built by a public agency in the United States. The project consists of photovoltaic systems located at six reservoir and pumping station sites.

The Ronzone Reservoir and Pumping Station PV array was recently finished and is the first of the six sites to begin operation. The power generated at the facility is utilized to support daily operations.

Full build-out of the Distributed Solar Array is scheduled for late 2006. Once completed, the system will produce more than 5 million kWh per year of clean electricity without any water consumption.

The LVVWD's Distributed Solar Array was designed and built in cooperation with PowerLight Corporation.

"But I’m an environmentalist!" you say.

Read more...

And speaking of Green Power....

Nevada Power, in partnership with the Desert Living Institute, has a Green Power program that helps fund clean power systems for Nevada schools. If you're not ready to install your own PV system yet but you'd like to take part in bringing green energy to Nevada, you'll find more details on the Green Power pages of the Nevada Power and DRI sites. Contributions to this program are tax deductible.

Another way to "green" your energy is through the purchase of Green Tags that help fund even larger clean power projects, thereby offsetting your emissions. There's even a way to offset the greenhouse gas emissions from that big SUV you're still driving around. Check out the TerraPass program and find out how you can drive with a cleaner conscience. Grist magazine has a nice explanation of green tags.

This a sampling of market-driven methods of accelerating the shift to renewable energy. What a great way to "vote" with your dollars! Wouldn't it be good to see a Green Tag program right here in Nevada?

Keep in mind that what we do is a group effort. We welcome ideas and submissions for articles for the newsletter and the Solar NV web site. If you would like to contribute something of interest (articles, links, photos, gold cuff links), and we hope you will, please email it to us at info@solarnv.org.

Special thanks to Solar NV member Walt Michaels for the head's up on some interesting stories.

If you appreciate the Solar NV eNewsletter and would like to become a member of the Southern Nevada Chapter of the American Solar Energy Society, please visit our membership page and sign up today. We are a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

This eNewsletter is published by Solar NV, the Southern Nevada Chapter of the American Solar Energy Society.

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To unsubscribe, or make a comment or suggestion, contact Steve Rypka at steve@solarnv.org.