Alaska Solar Tour - Article 1

http://alaskasolartour.org

National Solar Tour

http://nationalsolartour.org

Using Solar in AK

Wondering how much of a whoosh a whirling wind turbine makes? Want to know how to use solar
energy to make power or heat hot water? Homeowners and businesses curious about renewable
energy who want to see working projects can visit sites from Nome to Homer this weekend for the
Alaska Solar Tour. Sites are open for visits from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in Homer, Kenai,
Soldotna and Kasilof, and elsewhere in the state in Anchorage, Wasilla, Palmer, Nome, Fairbanks
and Delta Junction. No registration is required, and the tours are free.

Tour organizer Dr. Philip St. John, president of the Alaska Center for Appropriate Technology, also
shows off his Rock Island Lodge solar and wind-powered home on Kalgin Island on Sept. 27.

St. John got the idea for an Alaska Solar Tour last year when he went on a solar tour in Phoenix. The
American Solar Energy Society has been organizing tours of solar projects for the past 14 years.
"I thought it was really neat," St. John said of the Phoenix tour. "I realized Alaska had never had it."

The American Solar Energy Society and the Alaska Center for Appropriate Technology, sponsor the
Alaska Solar Tour. ACAT, started in 1993, promotes sustainable economic development through
research and education.

Although St. John can fulfill 100 percent of his energy needs using solar panels at his Kalgin Island
home, like other Alaskans using solar power, that ability declines in the dark winter months. Many
solar power users also have wind turbines.

"In Alaska we cannot just go with solar," St. John said. "(The solar tour) encompasses all renewable
energy."

For the Alaska Solar Tour, organizers have included renewable energy projects like wind turbines.
Equally important is being energy efficient. The tour also features green homes that are super energy
efficient, with heavily insulated walls and roofs.

"In Alaska, that's almost as important as getting renewable energy," St. John said. "You have to be
energy efficient before you can be profitable with renewable energy."

One house on the tour in Palmer has thick foam walls that "is so efficient, you can almost heat it with
a match," St. John said.
Another technology to be showcased is thermal storage. With thermal storage, water is heated by
evacuated solar tubes and then stored in a large tank in the home's foundation. As winter progresses,
the home is heated from the thermal mass -- the water tank -- in the home.

Visitors on the tour not only can see various projects, but they can meet and talk with homeowners,
businesses and some of the people who install the devices.

"If you hit all the places, you'd be able to talk to a homeowner who did retrofits, a homeowner who
did new construction and integrated it into the home, as well as the installers themselves," said Kyra
Wagner of Sustainable Homer.

Wagner and her husband Neil will show their 19 solar-tracking 190-watt photovoltaic panels. Tehben
Dean also shows his home-built electric truck at their house on Jake's Little Fireweed Lane in
Homer. Lanny Simpson of Alaska High Mountain Energy also shows Zap electric vehicles,
including a three-wheel truck and a scooter.

Some sites on the tour feature live entertainment. At the Fox Farm on Kalifornsky Beach Road,
singer-songwriter Amy Lou Hettinger performs at 11 a.m. Kasilof artist Timothy Oliver, who painted
the art for the Alaska Solar Tour poster, also is available to sign posters. Hettinger also plays from 1-
2 p.m. at Ionia, a community practicing sustainability in Kasilof. A homegrown vegetarian buffet is
served at Ionia.

ACAT also sponsors the annual Bioneers in Alaska conference, to be held Oct. 16-17 in Anchorage.
The conference features live speakers as well as some appearing through satellite.

"Bioneers is like the solar tour multiplied by five," St. John said. "It's more broad topics, not just
renewable energy."

Tour visitors are encouraged to car pool. Some sites may have restricted hours or be outside tours
only. For more information on the tour, including directions on Google maps, visit the solar tour
Web site at http://alaskasolartour.org

A Tour of Central Peninsula Solar Homes

Alaska Solar Tour was held on the Central Kenai on May 15, 2010. This tour featured home &
business sites in our community that showcased installations of solar thermal, PV (photovoltaic),
wind turbines, hydro power, and green building features. A bus tour was provided, and people were
encouraged to carpool. This event was organized by Phil St John, President, Alaska Center for
Appropriate Technology (http://acat.org) in conjunction with the American Solar Energy Society.

All together nine sites were featured. During transit (on the bus), there were presentations and
discussions of the solar tour sites and related sustainability topics. Lunch was served at Ionia along
with live music from Kentucky-born musician, Amy Lou Hettinger. Many ingenious do-it-yourself
Alaskans and people with incredible life stories showed up to take part in this tour. Homes featured
on the tour were located in Kenai, Soldotna, Kasilof, Anchor Point, & Kalgin Island (discussed, but
not travelled to).

Technical systems on the tour featured the following:

A 1000 watt Kestral wind turbine and 2 sets of PV Solar Panels,

3 Scottish “Proven” brand wind turbines and 6,000 watts of Sharp 175 watt PV solar panels fixed to
the roof with a seasonally adjustable rack mounted system,

A wood-fired Garn boiler and 6 Heliodyne flat place solar therman collectors,

A 2,100 watt pole mounted solar arry that was seasonally adjustable,

A home heated with a diesel fueled boiler that supplied both DHW and a 6-zone hydronic space
heating,

A 1,050 watt pole mounted solar panel array which included a battery backup system,

A wind turbine installed on a 70 foot tower that has generated the most power of any renewable
energy system in the KP service area,

A 700 wat PV grid-tie system that has produced 50% of the power needed for its small home,

A verbal tour of a lodge on Kalgin Island that has 24 solar panels, wind power, a biodesel generator,
electron storage, and an inverter.

Wow! That was a lot, but really quite an interesting tour. If you missed this chance to hang out with
the energetic & hip renewable energy crowd, there is still another chance. The Mat-Su Solar Tour
will be held on Saturday, October 2nd from 10-4.

Visit http://alaskasolartour.org for more information!

Group Sponsoring Alaska Solar Tours

Alaska is probably not the first place that comes to mind when you think of solar energy. I’ve never
been, myself, but let’s face it: the state is freaking cold and dark for a large chunk of the year. Plus,
it’s got more oil resources per capita than just about anywhere on earth. But this isn’t stopping some
residents from demonstrating the merits of solar and other sources of renewable energy. As reported
in the Homer Tribune, a statewide program has recently started offering energy tours for the curious
and uninitiated.

They [tour organizers] provide maps on Google of areas around their community where individuals
have established renewable energy sources for providing or adding to their electricity. Throughout
the state, some 30 homes and three businesses have agreed to “open up” about their energy use.
Tours are offered in Anchorage, Fairbanks and Homer.

Homer’s first solar tour took place on Saturday. Beyond wind turbines and geothermal systems, solar
technologies featured prominently:

Sustainable Homer Director Kyra Wagner said about six or seven homes will be featured on the
tour.

Wagner has her home on the tour, as well. She and husband Neil run a small farm and generate
energy via solar panels. Jars of Clay Pottery is also on the list, along with Bill Styers’ home on East
End Road.

“The Alaska Solar Tour will feature home and business sites in our community that showcase
installations of Solar thermal, Photovoltaic, and other renewable and sustainable technology,”
Wagner said. “Visit local sites and discover how your neighbors are trimming their energy bills,
generating their own electricity, and improving the world for our children by living sustainably
today.”

Sustainable Homer
http://sustainablehomer.org

Jars of Clay Pottery

clayjars@eagle.ptialaska.net

Solar Energy Tour Kick Off

As the American Solar Energy Society prepares to kick off it’s National Solar Tour; more states are
offering incentives to help people go green with solar. But that’s not the case in Alaska, a state with
massive oil resources. So in Alaska it takes guts to go solar. Take the case of Phil St. John, MD. Phil
lives on an island in the Cook Inlet. He moved to Alaska nine years ago after falling in love with it
while on a fishing trip with his son.

He had been practicing medicine in California. “What my fellow Alaskans have proven here is that
solar technology is viable. He lives off the grid as do many Alaskans. Alaskans are forging ahead
despite the fact that they don’t have the net metering and state cash rebates available in many other
states. He helped coordinate the Alaska Solar Tour.

Dr. Phil said he was delighted with the sheer number of site hosts — and the groundswell of
Alaskans who participated in the tour. “We expected a handful of tour site hosts, and ended up with
30 who accommodated nearly 500 Alaskans across a 1,200 mile geographic area.

Alaskans’ enthusiasm for the power of solar energy is strong. If sticking with traditional fossil fuel-
fed energy sources is the norm, Alaskans are going rogue over the benefits of solar technology.
“One community outside of Wasilla was offered a $250,000 state grant to support interconnection,”
he noted. “Considering all the public goods charges, taxes and related costs associated with being
attached to a utility, they opted to stick with their independent resources. About 50% of the tour sites
featured folks who deployed solar and wind turbines and were living comfortably off the grid. The
bulk of them focused on solar thermal technologies, which is usually more cost-effective and tends to
have a faster payback than solar electric technologies.”

Going Solar in Alaska

If anyone understands the national security implications of enhancing the United States’ domestic
energy portfolio, it’s the energy-savvy folks in oil-rich Alaska.

The economic incentives that drive deployment of solar energy solutions in the majority of America's
lower 48 don't exist in Alaska, whose oil resources are legendary. But that hasn't dampened
Alaskans' laudable enthusiasm for the power of solar energy. If sticking with traditional fossil fuel-
fed energy sources is the norm, Alaskans are going rogue over the benefits of solar technology.

"Alaskans are forging ahead despite the fact that we don't have retail rate net metering, state tax
credits, or lots of sunshine available in many other states," noted Phil St. John, MD, aka 'Dr. Phil,'
who last year with ACAT hosted the inaugural Alaska Solar Tour. "Despite our huge oil reserves
Alaska has one of the highest fuel prices in the nation. Unleaded gasoline is nearly $4 a gallon.
Home heating oil and natural gas are high too, and rising at an alarming rate. The decades of cheap
fossil fuels have caught us unprepared – our buildings are poorly insulated with antiquated heating
systems. The term "energy efficiency" or "sustainability" was not even talked about until a few years
ago."

Dr. Phil moved to Alaska 10 years ago after falling in love with it while on a fishing trip with his
son. He had been practicing medicine in solar bellwether California for 20 years. When it came time
to organize Alaska's first solar tour, Dr. Phil stepped up. "I was delighted with the sheer number of
site hosts – and the groundswell of Alaskans who participated in the tour. I loved showing others
how easy it is to live off the grid!"

"We expected a handful of tour site hosts, and ended up with 42 sites who accommodated 600
Alaskans across a 1,200 mile geographic area. Tours ran from Nome to Homer," exclaimed St. John,
who himself lives on a wilderness island. Dr. Phil says it is solar's value as an independent, cost-
cutting energy source that attracted about half the tour's participants.

Alaskans tend to be self sufficient, innovative people. We have a high percentage of user installed
solar, wind, and thermal systems. Many of the tour sites featured folks who deployed solar and wind
turbines and were living comfortably off the grid. "We are starting to focus on solar thermal
technologies, which is usually more cost effective and tends to have a faster payback than solar
electric technologies," he observed.
Dr. Phil St. John says it is solar's value as an independent, cost-cutting energy source that attracts
many Alaskan tour participants.

"Things – including electricity – are expensive in rural Alaska," noted Chet Chambers, Sustainable
Energy Technician for the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Bristol Bay Campus, who this year is
conducting their first tour. "Nearly everything is shipped in – except moose and salmon. We’re
promoting energy efficiency in tandem with renewable energy solutions like solar PV, solar thermal
and wind as sound alternatives to expensive fossil fuels," he said.

Through the efforts of people like St. John and Chambers, Alaskans are proving more and more that
solar technology is viable even when you can see Russia from your house.

From Alaska To Mississippi, Solar Is Cooking

American Solar Energy Society Triples Reach Of National Solar Tour, World's Largest Grassroots
Solar Event

Record 648 Community Tours Featuring Solar-Powered Funeral Home, Poultry Farm & Homes
Powering Electric Vehicles (EVs & PHEVs) Registered in 48 States; N. Dakota & West Virginia
MIA

Boulder, CO September 14, 2010 /PRAvenueNW/ -- With 648 community solar tours registered to
date, momentum is building to make the 2010 American Solar Energy Society's National Solar Tour
the most successful grassroots solar event in history, engaging tens of thousands of solar-interested
citizens across 48 states. The 648 tours featured in this year’s National Solar Tour is nearly triple the
number of tours featured in 2009, and more communities continue to join the movement each week.
Last year, 150,000 people across 49 U.S. states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico participated.

The 15th Annual American Solar Energy Society (ASES) National Solar Tour features open house
tours of thousands of solar-powered homes, businesses, and public agencies. It’s neighbors
introducing solar-hungry neighbors to the technologies they are using to 1) slash monthly energy
bills, 2) reduce environmentally harmful carbon emissions, 3) assert their energy independence and
4) enjoy rich tax credits and cash incentives as they improve their property values.

Among the menu of solar solutions showcased in this year’s National Solar Tour are investments that
have helped a couple beat Wall Street with their green ROI, an Iraqi war veteran now fighting in the
renewable revolution, solar-powered homes, schools, public agencies, condo complexes -- and
businesses that run the gamut from solar-powered poultry farms to funeral homes.

“Interest in the solar industry is cooking, and consumers across the nation are eager to sample its
wares, which bring enticing tax credits, cash rebates, improved property values and cleaner
communities to home and business owners across America,” said ASES National Solar Tour
Manager Richard Burns.
Forty eight states and Washington, D.C. are now represented on this year’s tour, which affords
citizens the opportunity to tour solar-powered homes and businesses from Alaska to Florida. The
bulk of the tours take place on or about October 2, 2010. The two states missing in action are North
Dakota and West Virginia. Word of the tour’s inherent value in educating the public on energy issues
has transcended international borders. This year, Mexico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are hosting their
first solar tours and Puerto Rico is back for its fourth island-wide tour.

Burns says as technologies have evolved, so have the diversity and sophistication of the solutions
showcased on the tour. But it is the practical, grassroots approach of the people behind the tours that
have made this event such a hit across America. The self-guided and bus-hosted tours are organized
by grassroots organizations and solar installers throughout the country. Many tours are free; some
tour hosts are non-profits and may request a donation.

Stories and solutions featured in the ASES National Solar Tour’s 2010 line-up for America include:

ALASKA: Going Solar Rogue in Oil-Rich Alaska

If sticking with traditional fossil fuel-fed energy sources is the norm, hundreds of Alaskans are going
rogue over the benefits of clean, renewable solar and wind technologies. Inaugural solar tour
organizer Dr. Phil St. John says it is solar's value as an independent, cost-cutting energy source that
attracts many Alaskan tour participants.

“Things – including electricity -- are expensive in rural Alaska,” noted Chet Chambers, Sustainable
Energy Technician for the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, Bristol Bay Campus. “Nearly everything
is shipped in – except moose and salmon. We’re promoting energy efficiency in tandem with
renewable energy solutions like solar PV, solar thermal and wind as sound alternatives to expensive
fossil fuels,” he said.

Through the efforts of people like St. John and Chambers, Alaskans are proving more and more that
solar technology is viable even when you can see Russia from your house.

MISSOURI: Iraqi Veteran Abandons War for Oil to Fight in Renewable Revolution

Two months after 9-11, the largest attack on domestic soil this generation has seen, Jeffrey Owens
enlisted in the U.S. Army. “I wasn’t looking for a career, I just wanted to serve,” he recalls.

After two tours in Iraq, the war veteran has embarked upon his third tour of duty. Owens’ post-Iraq
mission is three-fold. His new mission is still a means to serve the country -- and his new enemy
remains an insidious threat. Jeffrey Owens is battling America's dangerous dependence on fossil
fuels. He has joined the renewable revolution.

“One thing I learned overseas is how fortunate we are here in the United States,” notes Owens. “But
in many respects, we are still pretty insulated from the harsh realities of the rest of the world. We
have one of the finest qualities of life on this planet. We have freedoms that others only dream about.
We have readily available electricity to power our homes and businesses, but we’re not acting
responsibly,” he said.
As we honor the troops coming home from Iraq, read Jeffrey Owen’s insights from Iraq and learn
about his role as Executive Director of Show Me Solar, where he is organizing solar tours in the
communities of St. Louis and Columbia.

MISSISSIPPI: “Down on the Farm Solar” Feeds Energy-Hungry Poultry Farms

With the exception of Florida, the appetite for solar in America’s southeast is thin. Mississippi
Solar’s Carolyn and Will Hegman are trying to change that. And they’re doing it one chicken house
at a time.

“Poultry farming is an energy-intensive business. Enormous tunnel fans are required to ventilate
chicken houses. Lighting requirements add to the cost. There are close to 8,000 poultry farms in the
State of Mississippi. If we were able to solarize all those businesses, we could offset a full ten
percent of the state’s energy needs,” said Will.

This October 2, the Hegman’s are hosting their second Annual “Down on the Farm” solar tour,
which features an impressive assortment of solar solutions, including a 2.4 kW EV-ready solar
carport, the Hunt-Winston Solar Car Challenge-winning solar race car, a ground-mount installation
with battery back-up and an 8.4 kW solar PV solution on a chicken house at Spencer Pope Farms.

The folks at Spencer Pope Farms have been so satisfied with the results, they’re looking to quadruple
the solar capacity powering their chicken houses. “Solar can really change the life of a poultry
farmer, who has astronomical electric bills, particularly in these hot Mississippi summers,” Carolyn
Hegman noted. Coupled with the federal tax credits of up to 30% for going solar, that’s no chicken
feed.

CALIFORNIA: Early-Adopter San Diegans Employing Solar PV to Drive Electric Vehicles (EV) for
Free

San Diego solar tour host Jeanie Anderson likes to put a plug in for solar wherever possible. Now the
engineer and self-described solar evangelist will be using solar energy as a means to put an
energizing plug into her new electric vehicle, the Nissan LEAF. Anderson’s LEAF – anticipated to
bring her a new fuel bill windfall in the new year -- will be one of the first on American streets in
2011.

“When I sized a solar PV system for my home back in 2005, I scaled it up to fit what energy
demands I would need for my theoretical electric car. The solar energy I’m generating means I never
have to think about my electric bill again,” she said. And the additional kilowatt hours (kWh) she’s
generating with her rooftop solar have been so effective, she says once her LEAF arrives, the energy
credits she produces during peak daytime hours will allow her to charge her LEAF for free.

“On sunny summer days like today, I can generate a juicy 24 kWh. How many LEAF miles is that?
Exactly 100 miles, the range of this remarkable vehicle! I’ll never have to visit a gas station again,”
she exclaimed.
Take a virtual tour of Anderson’s home to enjoy an appetizing array of insights to optimize the
benefits of today’s sustainable solar lifestyle.

NEW JERSEY: The Spirit of Solar is Alive & Well at Solar-Powered Funeral Home

The spirit of solar is alive and well at Prout's Funeral Home in Verona, N.J. And it's manifested not
only in the 25.6 kW of solar energy third-generation proprietor Robert Prout employs to power his
home and offices, but in 1) The classes he regularly holds to teach future generations about the
benefits of sustainable energy, 2) The way he's incorporated his love of ecology into his business for
green funerals and natural burials, 3) The hurdles he's cleared to creatively introduce his second solar
PV system, despite rigorous opposition and 4) His willingness to open his doors to those attending
the American Solar Energy Society's National Solar Tour.

MASSACHUSETTS: Boston Couple “Beats the Street” (Wall Street) with Green Home Investments

Newbury, Massachusetts residents LuAnn Kuder and Maureen O’Brien have found a way to “Beat
the Street” (Wall Street that is) with the returns they’re realizing on their green investments. While
their Wall Street investments have tanked 9.6% over the course of the past forty eight months, the
$62,000 the women have invested in green home improvements are bringing them a savory 7.4% per
year for a whopping 29.6% return over the past four years.

“Our solar and geothermal investments are giving us more for our money than anything we have in
the bank – or in the market,” said 61-year-old Maureen, a former H&R Block franchisee and
financial consultant. “We feel like we’re locked into a really nice utility rate for the next 20 years,
regardless of what goes on in the rest of the economy – or the world, for that matter,” she said.

“The National Solar Tour is a practical way for those enjoying the benefits of solar to showcase the
innovative technologies they’re using to harness the sun’s energy, while demonstrating to neighbors
how solar works, how it’s installed and how beautiful today’s solutions can be. The tour also offers
essentials on how to realize big tax credits while supporting local small businesses -- like the
hundreds of distributors and installers SANYO and its distribution partner and fellow tour sponsors
Conergy support across the U.S.,” said Anna Lickova, Solar Marketing Specialist for SANYO's U.S.
Energy System Solutions Division.

Added ASES’ Burns, “Interest in solar is cooking because our industry addresses a veritable banquet
of issues plaguing America. And it’s something individuals, governments and small businesses can
readily embrace. Energy independence, lower energy costs and tax breaks mean more economic
power to the people and cleaner communities. Now that’s some appetizing food for thought.”

ABOUT THE AMERICAN SOLAR ENERGY SOCIETY: Established in 1954, the nonprofit
American Solar Energy Society (ASES) is the nation’s leading association of solar professionals and
grassroots advocates. Supported by more than 12,000 members, ASES advances research, education,
and policy. ASES publishes the award-winning SOLAR TODAY magazine, presents the National
Solar Conference, rallies citizens to build a Solar Nation, and leads the National Solar Tour – the
world’s largest grassroots solar event. www.ases.org.
Terri Steele
ASES National Solar Tour
(858) 220-3317 (mobile)
SolarSavvy@cox.net
http://nationalsolartour.org

Alaska Butte home among about 30 Solar Homes showing off cost-saving features

Margaret Subers, 43, built a solar-powered home 23 years ago in Arizona. Now, she and her
husband, Brad Subers, 50, are building a home here that will depend partially on sun for power.

This time, however, she faces a few extra challenges -- namely that they are building in Alaska. And
just to complicate things, the lot they fell in love with is in the Butte, where looming Pioneer Peak
keeps their property in shadow pretty much from Halloween to Valentine's Day.

Subers said she and her husband plan to install solar panels to catch sun between March and
September and a wind turbine to make power from the wind that whistles through the Knik River
valley. They are also relying on the sun to help heat the water that will be circulated through pipes in
their floor, providing radiant heat.

But this time around, Subers said, her big focus is insulation.

"You have to build so you don't use very much energy. You build the house really tight, really well
insulated," she said.

Outside the building, her walls have 8 inches of foam to stop heat loss, which happens wherever wall
timbers touch the outside siding. Subers said their 1,200-square-foot two-bedroom home has an R-
value of about 60.

R values indicate thermal resistance, or how much heat a given material conducts. A high number
means less heat is lost. Six-inch walls in Alaska are typically insulated with fiberglass rated between
R-19 to R-21.

The Butte home is one of a handful on a free, open-house tour this Saturday. About 30 homes around
the state are participating in an open house on the same day, under the umbrella "Alaska Solar Tour."

It's a first-ever event sponsored by the Alaska Center for Appropriate Technology, which also
sponsors the "Bioneers in Alaska" conference in the fall. Center president Phillip St. John said the
tour is part of the National Solar Tour. Its aim, he said, is to promote individuals' use of renewable
resources.

"We want the public to know renewable energy is here today and now, and there's really people out
there doing it. Their neighbors are doing it," he said.
Subers works with Alaska Community Development Corporation as a weatherization assessor, where
she helps people figure out how to make their homes more energy efficient.

The house she and her husband are building is based on techniques recommended by the University
of Alaska Fairbanks Cold Climate Housing Research Center. She said their home will include
sensors to monitor temperature and humidity inside the walls, with information being sent to the
Research Center.

"They don't have a house in a region like the Butte," she said.

Subers said the house will be so air-tight they will install a heat recovery ventilator to circulate fresh
air indoors and remove warm, moist air from kitchens, bathrooms and utility rooms.

But all that insulation pays off in low heating bills. Dave and Karen Jones have a similarly insulated,
though larger, home south of Wasilla with in-floor radiant heat. The water circulating in the in-floor
pipes is heated by the sun. A set of solar panels on the roof assists in heating the water above 100
degrees in summer. The water is then piped into different zones, where it warms the floors. Jones
said on sunny summer days, the water heats up to 160 degrees or higher.

Jones and his wife are still building their house, although most of the work now is on the interior. He
said he doesn't have a running calculation of costs. Installing the energy-efficient and energy-saving
features was costly, but there's satisfaction in being less dependent on fossil fuels -- and in not having
to fork out so much money each month. The couple's bill for gas this summer ran less than $1 --
that's before service fees were tacked on, which brought the total bill to $10.

"Everything was expensive, but every time we get our Enstar bill, we can't help but laugh," he said.

Jones and his wife took full advantage of their sunny location. The house faces south and
incorporates passive solar heat. They encased the exterior of the house in 6 inches of foam and then
nailed on metal siding because they like the look and durability. They bought energy-efficient
appliances and a direct-current well pump for efficiency and durability.

Their choices were made with an eye to the future, Jones said. He and his wife are nearing
retirement. They want to live lightly, but aren't willing to be uncomfortable or take on a long chore
list to maintain their home. "It's going to look like a normal house as you're walking in. There's not
anything weird on the inside, other than we're going to use LEDs and every appliance is high in
energy efficiency," he said. "We're not making any concessions."

North of Palmer, a handful of homeowners in the Buffalo Mine area rejected the opportunity to get a
monthly electrical bill.

House Speaker John Harris in 2008 included legislation that would have paid to extend electrical
lines in the Alaskan Beauty subdivision there, using state funding.
The funding was later vetoed, but homeowner Pete Praetorius said several residents had already
invested in solar panels and other energy-making equipment and weren't interested in connecting. He
said he, for one, prefers to be free of the cost -- and burden -- associated with paying for electricity.

Take the tour

About 30 homes around the state are participating in Saturday's solar tour, including homes in Nome,
Fairbanks, Homer, Anchorage and Mat-Su. Find maps or read more about people's innovations.
http://alaskasolartour.org

Bioneers in Alaska
http://sustainak.org

Alaska Center for Appropriate Technology

http://acat.org

Wind power in Alaska

Wind turbines beginning to energize Alaska

Two spinning turbines dot the sky above Palmer, putting the quaint colony-era town on the forefront
of a grass-roots make-your-own energy movement.

One of the wind power turbines -- like a streamlined pinwheel or a futuristic windmill -- stands
above a local chiropractor's office. The other is a green addition to an elementary school playground.

The turbines are part of a move toward renewable energy in Alaska. Wind turbines dot rural Alaska.
Solar arrays power a building in Nome. Tourists soak at Chena Hot Springs Resort, a getaway
powered by geothermal energy. And increasingly, homeowners are using energy derived from the
sun and wind to heat their homes, keep the refrigerator running and charge their iPhones.

Some involved in this movement are driven by a desire to reduce their impact on the environment.
For others, the decision is financial. Using alternative energy means less reliance on diesel fuel to
power generators. State and local officials have been busy writing new rules for how all this can
work, especially the backyard wind turbines.

Chiropractor Joseph Hawkins of Palmer is a pioneer. His roughly 50-foot-tall turbine makes more
electricity than needed at his business, BIONIC Chiropractic, so he has a contract to sell the extra
power to Matanuska Electric Association. He's one of the first people in the Valley to ever do that.

His turbine towers over BIONIC Chiropractic at 642 S. Alaska St. It went up on Oct. 2. Hawkins
said he's been interested in renewable energy since helping his family install solar power in Utah 25
years ago.
"I've been involved or interested in doing anything we can do to be resourceful or protect the
environment," Hawkins said. "It portrays the healthy lifestyle I want to represent as a chiropractor."
The turbine at his business is a residential-size model made by Skystream. It costabout $22,000
installed.

The turbine whirls frequently in Palmer, where breezes are common. Hawkins said he believes it will
pay for itself in five to seven years. Power generated is used first in the chiropractic office building
he built last year. Matanuska Electric buys what's left. In the six weeks the turbine has been
energized, that's been less than a hundred kilowatts, Hawkins said.

The average home uses about 30 kilowatts each day, according to the U.S. Energy Information
Administration. Hawkins and Lukas Strickland, a friend working with him on alternative energy
plans, said they hope to install other types of renewables soon.

"Right now in Alaska people don't really know what to think yet. This kind of project is really
important to get people thinking about what renewable energy is," Strickland said.

The second Palmer turbine, installed Nov. 6, is a dramatic addition to the Sherrod Elementary
School playground. The school's Alaska-themed playground includes boulders marking Mount
McKinley and a partial pipeline. Now, a 51-foot tall Skystream turbine stands about where Fire
Island would be on the playground map.

It's the first wind turbine installed at an Alaska school as part of the national Wind for Schools
program. Principal Mark Hoffman said Sherrod is taking part in the U.S. Department of Energy-
sponsored program and tapping into wind energy-related curriculum for students. Schools in 26
states, including Alaska, participate.

In most of those states, small wind turbines have been installed, and teachers use data from the
turbine as part of their lesson plan for teaching about energy and weather. At Sherrod, the turbine is
powering hallway lights. District officials said it's too early to know how much of the school's energy
bill the turbine might offset.

Sean Williams, a fifth-grade teacher at Sherrod, said he's eager to have a new way to help his
students understand a difficult concept like wind energy.

Nobody has a wind turbine whirling in their backyard in Anchorage, but the municipality and its
power company are working to change that.

Anchorage zoning rules currently don't permit wind turbines. One of its electric companies,
Municipal Light & Power, doesn't allow small consumers to hook a backyard turbine to the electrical
grid and sell power back to the utility.

Jim Posey, general manager of Municipal Light & Power, said the city-owned electrical utility will
soon offer "net-metering" contracts to Anchorage residents. The utility is waiting for the Regulatory
Commission of Alaska -- which oversees public utilities -- to finalize its new net-metering rules.
Net metering is a policy that allows people or companies that own small renewable-energy facilities
to sell excess power they generate to their local electric company.

Alaska is one of six states lacking net-metering laws. But the Regulatory Commission on Oct. 14
approved net-metering regulations. A commission spokeswoman said the regulations should go to
the state attorney general's office for review this month. Eventually, they'll go to Gov. Sean Parnell
to be enacted.

Hawkins and Sherrod Elementary already have an agreement like that with Matanuska Electric
Association. MEA consumers typically buy power for 16 cents per kilowatt. The co-generation rate
-- what MEA pays small producers -- is about 6.2 cents. MEA spokeswoman Lorali Carter said the
difference represents the utility's cost to maintain its transmission lines and other infrastructure.

Posey described a similar set-up in the works at ML&P. But the new net-metering laws might be in
place for months before Anchorage residents can legally hoist a turbine into the air on their property.
Residents who ask municipal officials about putting wind generators up now are told to wait,
Anchorage physical planning supervisor Tyler Robinson said.

Robinson's office worked last year to develop land-use rules about installing wind turbines. The
Planning and Zoning Commission passed the rules last fall. But the measure stalled when it reached
the Assembly. The Assembly is rewriting city zoning laws and wants to finish them first before
tackling new issues, Robinson said. The wind-generation rules may be on hold until mid-2010, he
said.

Robinson said he gets frequent calls from city residents interested in installing wind generation on
their property. There's definitely interest. But Anchorage isn't an easy place to adopt one rule for all
residents. The city wants to make sure wind-turbine rules are made after a vibrant public discussion.

"Some of these smaller applications, whether on residential lots or in business districts, will really
challenge the values that people have," he said.

"I don't think if we were to just put it out there tomorrow it would be entirely embraced with open
arms and everyone would think it's a great idea. But I think the mayor is generally supportive."

Wind and other alternative power systems are cropping up all over the state, largely spurred on by
abundant sources of funds -- federal and state grants for renewable energy and federal tax credits for
installed systems -- and communities eager to cut their dependence on expensive diesel fuel.

Alternative energy supplier Kirk Garoutte, owner of Susitna Energy, said he talked Anchorage
Mayor Dan Sullivan into granting him permission to install two turbines at his 2507 Fairbanks St.
property to help him demonstrate the equipment he sells.

Without net-metering in place, the turbines will only churn wind, not make electricity, but Garoutte
said they'll allow his customers to watch turbines in action.
A residential set-up, installed, costs about $15,000, he said. A Department of Energy program that
delivers a 30-percent tax credit for residential renewable energy systems installed by 2016 can help
lower upfront costs.

Perryville, an Alaska Peninsula community of 133 people, installed 10 of his turbines, Garoutte said.
He believes the turbines will pay for themselves in about 18 months. Others whirl in Nome,
Shaktoolik, Chignik, Kipnuk, Fairbanks, Healy and Willow.

Meera Kohler, president of Alaska Village Electrical Cooperative, said her power company for 53
villages has energized 21 turbines since 2003. Four more will be spinning in Chevak before the end
of the year, she said.

These are commercial-grade turbines, with an installed cost of nearly $1 million each, plus $1.5
million for a system that lets the turbines be monitored from afar, Kohler said.

AVEC spends about $5 million a year on diesel. The board hopes to shave $1.2 million off that with
wind-generated energy, Kohler said.

Kodiak Electric Association in August installed three 1.5 megawatt turbines, each producing enough
electricity to power 330 homes.

Darron Scott, Kodiak Electric chief executive, said in an August presentation to the Alaska Power
Association that he expects the turbines will save 800,000 gallons of diesel each year.

A 36-turbine wind farm planned for Fire Island is expected to generate about 10 times the electricity
from Kodiak's three-turbine wind farm. Work on Fire Island could begin next year.

"We're starting to see a lot of momentum pick up with wind around the state," said Chris Rose,
founder of the Renewable Energy Alaska Project.

Jerald Brown, president of the Bering Straits Native Corp. of Nome, said the corporation has
invested more than $3 million in alternative energy products recently.

Two years ago, Bering Straits installed 93 solar panels on its Nome office building. The corporation
also installed solar hot water heaters in two apartment buildings it owns, and partnered with
Sitnasuak Native Corp. on Banner Wind LLC, a wind farm with 18 turbines that sells power to
Nome Joint Utility.

Brown said the corporation is opening an energy-efficiency store in the corporate office building to
sell LED light bulbs, energy-efficient garbage composters and timers to plug vehicles into.

Outside Fairbanks, a century-old resort where tourists flock to watch amazing northern lights
displays while soaking in natural hot springs is on the forefront of alternative energy of a different
kind.
In 2006, Chena Hot Springs Resort owner Bernie Karl started generating power from geothermal
hot water under the resort. This year he unveiled another mobile plant that uses heated waste water,
from oil and gas development and other sources.

Out in Southwest Alaska, Naknek Electric Association is using millions in federal money to drill
into potential geothermal sources. Its November newsletter describes results so far as "hopeful."

There's a lot happening Alaska backyards, too. This summer, 30 homeowners around the state
participated in a "solar tour" aimed at taking the mystery out of green building techniques and home
renewable energy systems.

In the Valley, some homes on the tour relied on renewable energy by necessity: A house made of
straw bales that is beyond the reach of electricity and off-grid cabins near the Talkeetna Mountains
that rely mostly on solar power, for example. Others incorporated efficient designs and renewable
features for other reasons.

A modern two-story colonial home with a garage and full basement on the tour is heated by sun-
warmed water. Homeowners Dave and Karen Jones said they wanted a low-maintenance home with
low energy costs that they can enjoy in their retirement.

"We're not making any concessions," said Dave Jones. "We're not tree huggers. We're normal
people. We're just looking for a more efficient way to do it."

Phillip St. John, president of the nonprofit Alaska Center for Appropriate Technology, said events
like the solar tour show people renewable energy is something anyone can do.

"There's really people out there doing it. Their neighbors are doing it," he said. "If you think
renewable energy is something for the future, then you're living in the past."

Alaska Center for Appropriate Technology

http://acat.org

Renewable Energy Alaska Project

http://alaskarenewableenergy.org

Alaska Village Electrical Cooperative

http://avec.org

Banner Wind LLC

http://bannerwind.net

Bering Straits Native Corp. of Nome

http://beringstraits.com

BIONIC Chiropractic
http://drbionic.com
Chena Hot Springs Resort
http://www.chenahotsprings.com

Kodiak Electric
http://kodiakelectric.com

Naknek Electric Association

http://nea.coop

Sherrod Elementary School

http://www.matsuk12.us/she

Sitnasuak Native Corp

http://www.snc.org

Susitna Energy
http://susitnaenergy.com

Our deadly energy choices

We are standing in the middle of a busy interstate. A very large truck is gaining speed and quickly
bearing down on us.

"Shouldn't we get out of the road?" we ask our leaders.

"No. Now is not the time to talk about that. We can't make decisions based on emotions."

"What about installing better breaks on this truck, or at least on future trucks?"

"Nope. Can't afford it."

"Can we at least have some helmets?"

"Not if you want Grandma to eat tomorrow."

"So, what should we do?"

"Turn around, bend over and feel the awesome power of freedom and liberty!"

Over the last several months, we've seen a coal mine turn deadly(er). We've seen an oil well explode
into pristine ocean waters. We've seen a near nuclear meltdown in one of the world's most
technologically advanced countries. We have arguably averted epic disaster, but our energy choices
are thumbing their figurative noses at us. The danger is imminent and undeniable, but instead of
preventing catastrophe, we are being told that saving the planet is too expensive.

This situation is nothing new. In 1977, Jimmy Carter warned, "With the exception of preventing war,
this is the greatest challenge our country will face during our lifetimes." With that, he proposed our
first national energy policy. His energy policy was a combination of innovation and conservation. As
a symbolic gesture, he began by putting solar panels on the White House.

For Carter, that was the beginning of the end of his Presidency. The Saudis didn't like it. US energy
companies didn't like it. Less than four decades after the World War II Generation bravely sacrificed
for patriotism, we were being told that consumption was the new patriotism. That mind set has
continued for more than 30 years.

Do you like this Article?

We are standing in the middle of a busy interstate. A very large truck is gaining speed and quickly
bearing down on us.

"Shouldn't we get out of the road?" we ask our leaders.

"No. Now is not the time to talk about that. We can't make decisions based on emotions."

"What about installing better breaks on this truck, or at least on future trucks?"

"Nope. Can't afford it."

"Can we at least have some helmets?"

"Not if you want Grandma to eat tomorrow."

"So, what should we do?"

"Turn around, bend over and feel the awesome power of freedom and liberty!"

Over the last several months, we've seen a coal mine turn deadly(er). We've seen an oil well explode
into pristine ocean waters. We've seen a near nuclear meltdown in one of the world's most
technologically advanced countries. We have arguably averted epic disaster, but our energy choices
are thumbing their figurative noses at us. The danger is imminent and undeniable, but instead of
preventing catastrophe, we are being told that saving the planet is too expensive.

This situation is nothing new. In 1977, Jimmy Carter warned, "With the exception of preventing war,
this is the greatest challenge our country will face during our lifetimes." With that, he proposed our
first national energy policy. His energy policy was a combination of innovation and conservation. As
a symbolic gesture, he began by putting solar panels on the White House.

For Carter, that was the beginning of the end of his Presidency. The Saudis didn't like it. US energy
companies didn't like it. Less than four decades after the World War II Generation bravely sacrificed
for patriotism, we were being told that consumption was the new patriotism. That mind set has
continued for more than 30 years.

Gary St. Lawrence illustrates it well. Since 1977, Exxon's profits have increased more than 3400%.
Their federal subsidies have increased almost 1500%. Solar investments, on the other hand, have
increased only about 400% and federal subsidies about 78%.

It's no mystery that solar and other alternative resources haven't gained traction. In 2010, energy
lobbyists spent over $436 million. Of that, the vast majority (nearly $350 million) was from oil, gas
and electricity (which includes nuclear). Solar, wind, hydro and all other energy sources were
bundled into a category called "misc energy". The total for "misc energy" was about $54 million.

There's no denying that right now, alternative energies are expensive. In 1977, personal electronics
were almost unheard of and wildly expensive. With investments in brain power and technology,
electronics in the 21st century are cheap and plentiful. There is no reason to believe that if we were
to have the same interest in alternative energies, they would also be cheap and plentiful.

Over the next several days, I'll be focusing on various sources of energy and their real costs, whether
human, environmental or financial.

I can't start a series on energy sources without first talking about oil. Oil is by far our largest supplier
of energy. It currently meets about 35% of the world's energy needs. According to the US Energy
Information Administration, the US consumes about 27% of total world oil consumption. We have
less than 5% of the total world population. The US import about 51% of our oil. Over 40% of our oil
imports come from OPEC countries, one of the most politically unstable parts of the world. The
majority of crude oil, about 60%, is used in transportation.

When we think of transportation, we are generally thinking of the obvious, commuting to work,
running errands, shuttling the kids to soccer practice, etc. We often forget about the not-so-obvious,
like transporting our bananas from Chile to our supermarket.

Unless you're one of the lucky souls who doesn't rely on motorized transportation, you've probably
noticed the latest skyrocketing gas prices. In California, for example, gasoline is selling for over
$4.00 per gallon. The latest rise in prices can be attributed to several factors, including instability in
the Middle East and rising demand as the recession begins to ease. The price of oil, as with many
commodities, is largely artificial. Crude oil is traded on the commodities market. Hedge fund
investors, investment bankers and brokers can use their influence to drive the price of oil. Most
trading is regulated by the US government, but since much of the trading of crude oil is done
internationally, US laws and regulations don't apply. Last year, 27 barrels of oil were traded for
every one barrel consumed in the US. No one knows for sure, but the idea of price manipulation isn't
very far fetched.

As any economist will tell you, the price of oil has a direct affect on the economy. Rising oil prices
lead to rising transportation costs of all goods, from TVs to cars to clothing. Rising costs of
transportation can lead to inflation. Rising inflation can devalue the dollar. A devalued dollar can
lead to layoffs and a double dip recession.
The actual price of oil is far more than what you see at the gas pumps. Last year's Deep Water
Horizon oil spill killed 11 people and injured 17. The damage to the ecosystem is still unknown.
Worldwide, there is an average of about three major oil spills a year.

Violence in the Middle East has claimed many more lives. The war in Iraq alone has claimed the
lives of more than 100,000 civilians.

Many predict that we don't have a lot of oil left. Some say otherwise. It probably doesn't matter. The
facts are that oil is deadly. It is highly toxic. Most scientists agree that its emissions are a major
factor in global climate change. Those who say that oil's impact on the environment is negligible,
should consider the health impact of a running car in a closed garage. It isn't a big leap to imagine the
impact that millions and millions of cars would have on the air we breathe and the water we drink.

Oil leads to political and economic instability. If it wasn't for our massive oil consumption, we would
have no political interest in the Middle East. "The Great Satan of the West" would be a distant
memory in a terrorist's mind. We would no longer need to be in three wars.