Renewable Energy News - 5.2009

23. December 2009 by admin.

ISSUE 5        MAY 2009

ENERGY USERS’ ASSOCIATION is a 501 c 3 Non Profit Association that is open to everyone. No questions to answer or dues to pay. As an Associate, you are encouraged to contribute suggestions and news items from time to time. 

Many volunteer opportunities are available. Our web site at: www.energyuser.net was developed by a talented volunteer. Other volunteers are helping develop and test training materials. Credit is given to volunteers at the web site.

A strategy of the association is to produce Renewable Energy training materials that will become widely available through school public education programs and elsewhere.  Another strategy is to provide information and financial assistance to schools that wish to incorporate Renewable Energy Training in their curriculum.

Contact EUA at sunuser@comcast.net to ask a question, offer suggestions, volunteer to help or to unsubscribe.

SCHOOL NEWS

Battle Creek Elementary School in St Paul, Minnesota has installed a PV Solar Electric system. The system is rated at 1,000 watts. It is tied to the electric grid in such a way that it can assist the electric utility in supplying electric power to the school when the sun is shining.

When the system provides more power than the school is using, the excess power is supplied to the grid. This causes the power meter to run backward. As a result, the school receives a credit on its utility bill.

NEWS FROM HERE AND THERE

Most Europeans depend on other countries for their natural gas. As a result, many homeowners are accumulating firewood for supplemental heating.  Modern wood stoves operate at very high temperatures and thus remove much of the particulate and unburned gases typical of older stove designs.

Although burning wood produces greenhouse gases, it is the same amount as would be produced if the wood were left to decompose or was burned in a forest fire.  Thus, it is called “carbon neutral”.

One of our EIG technicians is building a Russian wood stove.  These stoves burn wood at 1600F so there is little unburned gas or particulate.  The fire box is encased in bricks to store heat from the fire.  Thus, a fire that burns for 2 hours in the morning stores enough heat to keep the house warm all day.

Have a news story?

Contact EIG at: energyind@comcast.net and share it.

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