by on July 31, 2011 in ASES Solar Tours, Blog, Solar Energy, Upcoming Events

Want to participate in upcoming ASES/InREA Solar and Renewable Energy Tours in Indiana Sat., Oct. 1st?

The American Solar Energy Society  (ASES) is sponsoring the National Solar Tour  (NST) again this year and planning is now underway for Indiana Solar and Renewable Energy Tours throughout the state of Indiana on Saturday, October 1, 2011. This will be the third year that the Indiana Renewable Energy Association (InREA) will be coordinating tours.

There will be a big push this year to collect information on all solar and renewable energy projects throughout the state whether or not these projects are actually on the physical tours. The compilation of this data is expected to result in a new Virtual Solar and Renewable Energy Tour presentation which will be unveiled at InREA’s annual meeting in November 2011 and will eventually be uploaded for viewing on this website.

In the meantime, we urge everyone with a solar photovoltaic system to also participate in The Open PV Project sponsored by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.  This is the type of data base that InREA hopes to create and we need your help.

Please let us know if you would like to participate by sending an email to: info@indianarenew.org.

See EVENTS http://www.indianarenew.org/events/.

 

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by on May 4, 2011 in ASES Solar Tours, Blog, Legislation, Upcoming Events

Watch This Space! An open letter from INREA President

Welcome back to the beginning!
Many INREA members have been wondering where we went as instability in membership on the board has slowed both progress and communications. But, if you watch this blog and our soon-to-be-new website, you will soon see the results of a new ground swell of activity in INREA. Since the new board was voted in at the end of February, momentum has been building.
We will soon be asking for you, our membership, to become more engaged, and we will provide ample and specific opportunities for that engagement.
First–restating our mission. We are renewing our focus on building public awareness and aiding in the education on issues of renewable energy in all its forms.

How will we do that? This year, we will focus on two very high-profile activities:
1. The Indiana Renewable Energy Conference, July 20-21.Discussion panels are being formed now on topics of geothermal, small wind, solar thermal, and PV thermal. There will be many opportunities to teach, learn, and most of all, HELP!
2. The National Solar Tour, October 1. You can see details from previous solar tours on the indianarenew.org. We will need local organizers throughout the state to help and/or host tours in their own communities, to showcase real people who own real renewable systems and allow-close-up experiences.
Next–mobilizing our membership. This may be the first you have heard of these events. Why might that be? We have not gotten the word out as effectively as we should. Well, we’re making some significant mechanical changes to improve communications to our members. Here is what is happening:
*** The new members of the board have gotten acclimated and are starting to gain traction. Those new board members are:
- Chris Rohaly, President
- Chris Maher, Vice President
- Mark Oehler, Treasurer
- Travis Murphy, At Large Member
*** The website, indianarenew.org, is undergoing a refresh, and should be updated in the near future. If you are web-savvy and can volunteer of your time to help with upkeep once the transition is complete, please let us know.
*** The ASES convention in May — INREA will represent the state of Indiana in the person of Chris Maher, Vice President.
*** Our IRS tax status, which has been a bit of a soap opera, appears close to being resolved after the resubmission of lost paperwork.
*** For those who are following energy legislation, this has been a busy year in the State House. Please see the IDEA blog (indianadg.wordpress.blog) for all the details.
I’m pleased to trusted to serve as your president. We (the Board of Directors) have great plans: more programs, face-to-face meetings with members, membership drives, newsletters: but these plans cannot be executed by a board of directors. We welcome your input, invite your suggestions & expertise, and more than anything, request your involvement. That alone will enable the resurgence of INREA and further renewable energy understanding across the state.
Please feel free to contact any of the board members with questions or input. Information on every member, including contact information, will be included on the updated website, or you can reply to me via this blog post.
Thanks for your past and future support. Let’s get the word out!
Best Regards,
Chris Rohaly
Green Alternatives, Inc
2011 President, Indiana Renewable Energy Association
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by on September 27, 2010 in ASES Solar Tours, Blog, Solar Energy

2010 Indy Solar Tour Kick-off at Hamilton Co. Park Dept. Cool Creek Nature Center

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Laura Arnold
Indiana Renewable Energy Association
LauraArnold@indianarenew.org
(317) 635-1701

INDIANAPOLIS – On Saturday, Oct 2nd from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., central Indiana residents will have an opportunity to learn about solar power for their home or business. The 2010 Indy Solar Tour is a practical, hands-on educational opportunity to see operating solar thermal and solar photovoltaic, small wind, as well as energy efficiency and other renewable energy technologies at various locations in the greater Indianapolis area.

The tour will kick-off at the Hamilton County Parks Department’s Cool Creek Nature Center which features a 15.7 kilowatt Solar PV system. On a typical sunny day, the grid-tied system installed by ECI Wind and Solar in August 2010 produces 75% – 100% of the center’s electrical load.

“The solar system is projected to save the nature center $125,000 in utility costs and reduce carbon emissions by an estimated 18 tons annually,” according to Eric Cotton, president of ECI Wind and Solar. “By installing this solar system, Hamilton County Parks Department has shown real commitment when it comes to education and environmental stewardship” Mr. Cotton, will be at the Nature Center from 2 -5 p.m. to explain how the solar PV system works. He will be joined by Travis Murphy of the Indiana Office of Energy Development among others who will be discussing the state’s role in renewable energy development and the benefit it holds for Indiana consumers.

The Cool Creek Nature Center is located at 2000 East 151st Street, Carmel, IN 46033 and serves as the central hub for many different indoor and outdoor activities in a beautiful 90-acre park.

This free, self-guided tour is part of the 15th annual ASES National Solar Tour, the world’s largest grassroots solar event, and is organized by Indiana Renewable Energy Association (InREA) with assistance from the Indiana Office of Energy Development, Indianapolis Power and Light and Duke Energy. In 2009, about 150,000 attendees visited some 5,000 buildings in 3,000 participating communities throughout the United States. A tour map will be available at the nature center and the InREA website.

Indiana Renewable Energy Association – Organized in 2008, Indiana Renewable Energy Association (InREA) is the official Indiana state chapter of the American Solar Energy Society. InREA was established for the purpose of representing businesses which produce, and consumers who use, renewable energy throughout the state of Indiana. For more information, visit http://www.indianarenew.org/.

Indiana Office of Energy Development – The Indiana Office of Energy Development, under the leadership of Lieutenant Governor Becky Skillman, is responsible for Indiana’s energy policy. That policy is outlined in the state’s strategic energy plan, Hoosier Homegrown Energy which promotes locally derived energy resources such as solar and wind. Visit the OED homepage for more details, http://www.energy.in.gov/.

American Solar Energy Society – Established in 1954, the nonprofit American Solar Energy Society (ASES) is the nation’s leading association of solar professionals & advocates. Its mission is to inspire an era of energy innovation and speed the transition to a sustainable energy economy. For more information, visit http://www.ases.org/

 

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