September Meeting Announcement

This is a reminder that the monthly meeting for Solar NV, the Southern Nevada Chapter of the American Solar Energy Society is Wednesday, September 20 at 6:00 PM.

Starting this month, our new meeting day becomes the third Wednesday of each month and the meeting location is now at the main offices of Nevada Power, Meeting Room A.

This month's meeting will focus on the upcoming Southern Nevada Solar Home Tour. This is a major event for Solar NV. An explanation and preview of the tour will be given by Steve Rypka and Chris Brooks, co-chairs of the home tour committee.

If you are concerned about the climate crisis, energy costs or the environment, then we urge you to attend this meeting. You will see how the tour can impact our community and also how you can help make this event a success. We are asking you to join us in being part of the solution that will benefit us all.

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

Special thanks to Larry Burton of Solar Generations for a great presentation at our last meeting. Also, thanks to Nevada State Senator Dina Titus for stopping by. What a great and informative meeting!

I know we've said this many times, but we want to make sure everyone knows about this change. Starting in September 2006, our new meeting day becomes the third Wednesday of each month and the meeting location will change to the main offices of Nevada Power.

We will be in Meeting Room A. Details, directions and maps can be found here. The address is 6226 West Sahara Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89146. This is on the north side of W. Sahara, just west of Jones. Park in the rear lot and use the entrance at the rear of the building. Hot Tip : If there is a line of cars at the main entrance waiting to pay their power bills, proceed to the street just west of the main building. Turn north and at the end of the short block, turn right just past the solar array to enter the main parking lot from the back.

We would like to express our gratitude to NV Power for their generous offer to host our monthly meetings. Thank you!

From Solar Today - Passive Solar Comeback Ahead

Why the hot building technology of the future may be the mature and proven one.

By J. Douglas Balcomb, Ph.D.

The last time passive solar design was the rage in energy-efficient architecture, in the early 1980s, the United States was experiencing an energy crisis, with record gas prices, worries of oil shortages, political tensions in the Middle East and a call for solutions in Congress. Sound familiar?

Nearly a generation — 25 years — has passed since the 1976–1982 time frame when passive solar was widely researched and practiced. Interest in building design that relies on the sun’s energy, rather than mechanical equipment, to keep living spaces comfortable was buoyed by major government funding and executive and congressional support.

more

Southern Nevada Solar Home Tour

Federal Solar Tax Credit Extension

Federal Solar Tax Credit Extension ACT NOW!

This is an important issue. Please call and email your legislator to support the extension of solar tax credits past 2007. Read the details on the Solar Nation action alert.

Solar NV Member Sets the Record Straight

Thanks to Dr. Bob Boehm for writing a recent letter to the Las Vegas Sun that clarified some very important points regarding renewable energy. A lot of people are misinformed about this important topic. This is a great example of the impact one person can make and also why Solar NV's work is so important.

Read the full text of the letter

Reasons to Get With It....NOW!

From the San Francisco Chronicle, an excerpt from a speech given recently by Senator Dianne Feinstein:

Those are powerful words....and we should heed them well.

There are several coal-burning power plants planned for Nevada, including the Toquop Energy Plant just up the road near Mesquite. Are we so addicted to fossil and nuclear fuels that we can't change, knowing that our failure to do so is likely to result in catastrophe?

With a combined commitment to energy efficiency and renewable energy, we can find another path. It does not have to be "business-as-usual," but our window of opportunity is closing fast.

This is not a dress rehearsal. It is serious. We are all responsible for the results.

More information on planned Nevada coal plants.

Find out how you can take action....today! Get involved. Join Solar NV. Make a difference.

Download the Personal Impact Audit Checklist and then put it to good use!

Large pdf with full graphics (1,560k). Smaller pdf with few graphics (356k).

Alternative Energy Class

The Gardens at the Springs Preserve is a great resource for valley residents. In addition to the beautiful grounds, they also provide ongoing educational events on various topics, including Alternative Energy.

The presenter lives in a net-zero energy home with a total yearly electric bill of $75! Want to learn how to create your own environmentally friendly home? In this class you will gain a greater understanding of the role of energy systems in our society, the importance of renewable energy systems and learn how they can be adapted to the home or workplace. Federal and state financial incentives will also be reviewed.

The two hour class will be held September 30 starting at 3:00 PM. Presented by Steve Rypka, president of GreenDream Enterprises and Solar NV board member. Admission is free.

Klai Juba Lecture Series

Solar NV members have recieved a very generous invitation from the School of Architecture at UNLV to the Fall 2006 Klai Juba Lecture Series.

The theme of this fall’s series will be “The 2030 Challenge: Environmental Design in the Face of Climate Change.”

With the generous support of Klai Juba Architects, and in coordination with the Natural Energies Advanced Technologies (NEAT) Laboratory, Pliny Fisk III, John Reynolds, and Dr. Sue Roaf will offer in addition to their lectures a half-day workshop open to the public.

This is another good reason to be a member of Solar NV! These presenters are legendary in the areas of green building and passive solar design. Please click here for the full text of the invitation and programs.

For more details on these workshops and pre-registration information please contact Mr. Daniel Overbey, Research Assistant at the NEAT Laboratory (email: overbeyd@unlv.nevada.edu or call the NEAT Laboratory at 895-2767).

Thanks to Alfredo Fernández-González, UNLV Associate Professor of Architecture, for extending this welcome invitation!

Upcoming Events

Solar NV Mission Statement

Our Mission is to educate the public regarding the benefits of renewable energy; to promote the use of renewable energy and sustainable energy technologies; and to function as a clearinghouse and local resource for renewable energy information.

Some Things to Think About

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 or ideas), and we hope you will, please email it to us at info@solarnv.org.

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 pending 501(c)3 nonprofit organization.

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

www.solarnv.org

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