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Renewable Energy Education
for a Sustainable Future
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| SEI
was recently highlighted on NPR's morning edition in a
story about green jobs. To listen to the story click on
the following link: Green
Industry In Need Of Trained Workers |
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| Updated
Online Courses at SEI |
We have recently updated our online courses to use the Blackboard Academic Suite™, the industry’s leading online education platform.
SEI's online courses cover the same topics as the in-person workshops, minus the hands-on component. Lessons include exercises,
homeworks, and quizzes to test student comprehension. There is also an online discussion board where students can network with each
other and post questions for the instructors. Upcoming online courses include:
Upcoming hands-on workshops include:
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Straw Bale Eco House Welcomes Inauguration Visitors |
A colorful straw-bale "eco-house" at the U.S. Botanic
Garden (USBG) on the National Mall invites the millions
of Americans expected to visit Washington D.C. in January
to experience traditional American "green-building" techniques.
The eco-house exhibit, which demonstrates adobe, bamboo,
and straw-bale construction, was created by Builders
without Borders (BWB), a global network of sustainable
builders, as part of the USBG's Summer 2008 exhibition
"One Planet - Ours!"
Builders without Borders created the straw-bale eco-house to showcase attractive and energy-efficient building strategies appropriate
for homes and commercial buildings, urban or rural, and nearly any climate. The eco-house walls are built with straw bales,
plastered on the outside with a bright yellow lime plaster, and topped with a silvery-gold standing-seam metal roof. Designed to harvest
sunlight, the glass front doors face the winter sun.
View a video tour of the eco-house from NBC TV
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PV to Power Grand Canyon Visitor Center |
The Grand Canyon Visitors Center will soon be home to
a new solar photovoltaic system.
The Associated Press reports that the 18 kilowatt system
will be installed this spring, and will provide approximately
30% of the center’s electricity. The National Park
Service, which runs the center, estimates it will save
about $2,500 a year from this system.
The new system is being paid for by Arizona Public
Service, which plans to set up an educational exhibit
on solar energy at the center which attracts 4.5
million visitors annually.
Read more on GreenBiz.com
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Alumni News - Solar for Native Americans |
SEI alum Jasmine Brown recently taught a PV workshop at
the Squirrel Ridge Ceremonial Grounds in the Cherokee
Nation in Oklahoma. The Cherokee Nation is embarking on
an ambitious project that will provide a welcoming space
to practice traditional beliefs and demonstrate sustainable
building techniques to the surrounding community. Grants
were obtained by the Cherokee
Arts and Humanities Council and Red Earth Action Network
to build a straw bale building to house bathrooms with
composting toilets and harvested rainwater for handwashing.
Twenty-five people from the local community and around
the nation participated in the accompanying workshops
on straw bale construction and PV.
Despite severe weather challenges, the volunteers worked around the clock to complete the building and a small, off-grid 220 watt battery back-up
PV system that powers DC lighting and water pumping. SEI donated the 3000 watt inverter. In the coming year, they plan to expand the system by
1500 watts to power the recently built kitchen and the planned bunk house.
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Gaining Our Freedom from Oil |
As the next President takes office on January 20, 2009,
the nation looks to him to come up with a plan that will
put an end to the crippling high energy costs. According
to Jeff Wilson, author of The
Manhattan Project of 2009: Energy Independence NOW,
"the plan must be thoroughly thought out and based in
reality. Yet it must be executed quickly, forcefully,
and successfully."
In an article in RenewableEnergyWorld.com,
Wilson tells us what the real situation with oil is, and
what our real options for energy are. We currently import
70% of our oil. Worldwide, we are consuming oil at twice
the rate that new oil is being discovered. Not only are
reserves dwindling, but at the same time demand is increasing.
However, Wilson believes "we have the technologies to
get ourselves off of oil. We really do. With a serious
commitment, adequate funding, and good information, we
can get ourselves totally off oil in 15 years."
Read the entire article at www.renewableenergyworld.com |
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Upcoming RE events |
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Don't miss these exciting upcoming events:
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Your Generosity Ensures our Success! |
SEI would like to welcome new members! As a membership-based
non-profit, SEI's members are the heart of our organization
and allow us to continue our educational programs. SEI
Staff are passionate about the work we do and membership
dues help sustain our renewable energy endeavors.
Please join us! Membership benefits include (depending
on membership level) discounts on workshops and a one
year subscription to either Home Power magazine,
Solar Pro magazine or E magazine.
Click
here for details on how to become an SEI member.
To all SEI members . . . SEI sends thanks! |
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Use
this link
to add your name to our mailing list. Use
this link
to remove your name from our mailing list.
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