Tis the Season for Solar Building

Interested in learning how to build a natural home? SEI has many workshops coming up that will help you do just that.

• Solar & Radiant Heating Systems - Apr. 28 - 30
• Solar Hot Water - May 31 - June 3
• Solar Home Principles - June 6 - 10
• Designing & Building Natural Homes - June 13 - 17

SEI Helps Bring Solar to Low Income Families

SEI worked with GRID Alternatives and Habitat for Humanity this March to install solar photovoltaic systems to low income families. In SEI's week-long San Francisco workshop the participants helped install a PV system to power the common meter for an 8 unit condo building. The condo owners, all of whom are low-income, split the costs of the common meter as part of their condo fees and they are anxious to use the sun to provide much needed savings for themselves and their neighbors.

GRID Alternatives is a non-profit organization providing energy efficiency and renewable energy to communities in need. For more information click here.

Alternatives to Oil

You have probably noticed, and maybe even cursed, the recent high gas prices. In fact the price of crude oil has increased 50% in the past year. According to Tom Mast, author of Over a Barrel: A Simple Guide to the Oil Shortage, "Oil production will peak worldwide sometime soon and begin to decline. Meanwhile, oil demand will continue to grow unless some very aggressive fuel conservation and implementation of alternatives to oil takes place." To read Tom Mast's entire essay on the importance of alternatives to oil visit RenewableEnergyAccess.com

To learn about a great alternative to gas check out SEI's Biodiesel workshop by clicking here

Climate Change Coference Call

Join New American Dream and Red Sky at Morning author Gus Spethe on a national conference call to discuss climate change. "Climate Change After the Elections: What We Can Do in America - A Ten-Point Plan" is scheduled for Wednesday evening (April 20) at 8pm Eastern Time. To join this free call email outreach@newdream.org to reserve a spot.

For more information click here.

SEI Welcomes Khanti Munro

SEI welcomes our newest employee Khanti Munro. Khanti was an intern and attended all of SEI's workshops in 2003. He will be working on PV installations, curriculum development, and designing lab exercises for our workshops.

Upcoming RE events

Check out these great Renewable Energy events coming up soon! For more upcoming events check out the events calendar at RenewableEnergyAccess.com

• Denver Green Building Conference April 27 - 29 Lakewood, Colorado www.DenverGreenBuilding.com
• Straw Bale Building 101 and Earth Plaster Workshop April 23 - 24, 2005 Kingston, New Mexico www.LanderLand.com
• Sun Festival - A Weekend of Star Power, Music & Innovation April 30th and May 1st, 2005 Scottsdale, AZ www.sunfestival.net

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!