A Salute to Dr. Mark McCray

SEI salutes Dr. Mark McCray's life and work. A long time friend, supporter, and instructor of SEI, Mark passed away July 13th, after a long battle with cancer. Mark was the founder and president of RMS Electric, Inc, in Boulder, Colorado. SEI and the entire solar community will miss him.

Women's Installation Produces Lots of Power in WI

SEI and the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) teamed up to teach a Women's Photovoltaic Design & Installation workshop before MREA's annual renewable energy fair (MREF). Thirteen women helped install 1900 watts of PV on Jane Haasch's house. They mounted the PV modules on a Wattsun dual axis tracker. In the first day of operation Jane's system produced over 17 kilowatt-hours of electricity!

After the workshop, all the women attended MREF, which had the largest turnout in the fair's history, over 17,000 people. There they had the opportunity to listen to Democracy Now's Amy Goodman, and The Party's Over author Richard Heinberg. Congrats to MREF for another great RE fair!

Running on Veggie Oil

SEI is holding a Biodiesel workshop in Boulder, Colorado this week, where participants from around the country are learning to make their own biodiesel out of vegetable oil. Biodiesel experts and advocates Joshua Tickell, Martin Stenflo, Charris Ford, David Max, Rachel Burton, Rudi Wiedemann, John Long and others will present and entertain about how we can move away from a petroleum based economy.

Click here for info on future biodiesel workshops.

Annual Solar Conference a Success

The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) annual solar conference was a huge success. Held in Portland, Oregon, over 1200 people attended to learn about what's happening in solar around the country.

SEI conducted two pre-conference workshops; a Women's PV workshop with Marlene Brown of Sandia National Labs, and a Renewable Energy for the Developing World workshop with Green Empowerment. Green Empowerment promotes community-based renewable energy projects internationally to generate social and environmental progress. To find out more about Green Empowerment's work around the world click here.

To read more about ASES and next year's conference in Orlando, Florida, click here.

Upcoming RE events

Check out these upcoming renewable energy events!

• SEI PV workshop in New Mexico September 20 - 24 in Albuquerque

  This workshop is being taught in conjunction with the New Mexico Solar Energy Association, and prior to the 5th Annual Solar Fiesta. For more information click here

• 4th Annual Southern Energy & Environmental Expo August 27 - 29 in Western North Carolina

  SEI will also be teaching a 5 day PV workshop in North Carolina in October. For info on the Expo click here. For info on SEI's workshop email info@seeexpo.com

Your Generosity Ensures our Success!

SEI would like to welcome our 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 is passionate about the work that we do and membership dues help sustain our renewable energy endeavors.

Please join us! Become an SEI member and support our important work (and receive a free one year subscription to either Home Power magazine or E magazine.)

Click here for details on how to become an SEI member.

To all SEI members . . . SEI sends thanks!