Things were starting to cool off here in Idaho by mid-September, so what better to do than drive to Baja and roast in the late-summer sun?  NOLS Mexico has an off-grid facility in Coyote Bay with a battery-based solar system that powers multiple buildings and a water pump.  Toby and Curtis went down last April to upgrade the photovoltaics on the roof and pull off an older array in preparation for the roof being replaced.  With the new roof installed, Toby needed to head down again to put that array back up and double the size of the battery bank; I volunteered to assist him and become familiar with the system.

We rendezvoused at the office in Lander.  When I arrived Toby was cramming his itty-bitty Honda Civic with spools of wire, hardware, tools, conduit, luggage, etcetra.  Somehow we both fit in as well, with the ability to lay the passenger seat back!  The sun was dropping towards the western horizon as we drove out of Lander.  42 bleary-eyed hours later we pulled off the highway into the NOLS Mexico compound, and parked in the shade.
The new batteries were delivered using a local delivery service from the border.  The photo below was the delivery service that brought the batteries (2500 pounds!) 10hr down the bumpy road. Not sure how it made it?

Stepping out of the air-conditioning at noon in Coyote Bay was a bit like sticking your head under the heat lamp at a pizzeria.  I could feel my brain shut down to half-capacity out of self-protection, and it didn’t come fully back online until we crossed the border back into Wyoming.  Despite the crushing heat, Toby went right to work.  After we unloaded the car into the garage that houses the battery bank and inverters, he gave me a quick tour of the facility and then we opened up the Outback panel and started re-configuring the wiring to work with an added array and more batteries.

The following two days continued in the same vein.  Up on the roof shortly after sunrise until the sun on the brand-new galvanized metal roof was too hot to bear.  Sweating through the sunny hours down in the inverter garage.  Back on the roof after the sun went behind the horizon, and a brief swim in the bay at dusk.  We put up a pretty good-looking array on the new roof, including 12 ancient panels that came from the original system and produced about 600 watts.  The batteries (2500 pounds of them) were delivered by a friendly Mexican man who had driven them 10 hours down the very bumpy highway from Ensenada in the back of his tiny 2-wheel drive pickup.  Pretty impressive.  We parked them next to the original bank and wired it all up into one big system.  In the end, NOLS Mexico now has 8 KW of solar with about 3000 amp hours of battery capacity.

Though it was hard to believe, we stuffed even more into the Honda for the return trip, including 4 solar modules that had been recalled.  Pulling out of Coyote Bay at 5pm seemed a little ridiculous, but it was actually nice to drive through the night without any traffic.  We limped into San Diego at 6am with a dying front passenger-side wheel bearing and checked into a motel for a few hours’ rest.  After having the bearing replaced on a Sunday morning, we hit the highway again and finished up the trip back to Lander.

7 days to drive Lander to Baja, upgrade a system, and drive Baja to Lander.  Not bad.

Above and following are photos from my recent visit to the Solar Decathlon event in Washington DC. Teams of students from 20 universities design and build small homes that need to meet specific performance and comfort goals. The event is held every two years, when the homes are “built” on the Mall in Downtown Washington DC. Tours are given to the public and the houses are tested and judged. The application of quality building materials and the innovation in small footprints (800 sqft is the maximum) is really interesting to see and experience. There was plenty of variety in the solutions to the meet the engineering challenges of the event, but one thing remained the same as the last Solar Decathlon – Germany won. I had a couple favorites – Ontario and California, with many bits and pieces from other homes. Check out the Solar Decathlon website for virtual tours, product lists and links to competing teams websites. http://www.solardecathlon.org/

Hello loyal blog followers, I am Allen Roth, the Creative Energies summer intern, I come from the University of Vermont and I am majoring in Environmental Studies with a focus on renewable energy.

Several weeks ago Curtis and I installed a geothermal system at a property in Lander, Wyoming. The system consisted of 6000 feet of piping strung out in 6 – 1000 foot coils. It was a big learning experience for me as it was my first geothermal install. In my studies I learned about the different loopfields and had diagrams that explained how the system worked. After working on a system myself I realize that the diagram is not enough. I think a lot of people can relate, so here is the quick and dirty. A geothermal system can be compared to a refrigerator where the pipe coils in the loopfield represent the coils on the back of your refrigerator. Instead of removing the heat from inside the refrigerator and dissipating it out the back, the coils in the ground collect heat energy available in the ground, concentrate it, and dump it into the home. The heat pump does this by circulating water through the loop field where the temperature is consistently 50 degrees Fahrenheit. This thermal energy, collected by the water, enters the heat pump where a compressor concentrates and exaggerates the temperature. Traditional ducting and plumbing systems deliver the heat throughout the home. In cooling mode it works exactly like a refrigerator, the home becomes the icebox and the heat is dumped in the ground through the coils.

We began by setting up the 6 strings in the grass next to the pit before moving them to their final resting place seven feet below the ground. We pre-constructed the loops because the high water table in the area made it necessary to pump the water out of the pit every 30 minutes! This made moving the strings difficult, but with the help of Dan, Toby, and Phil we managed to get them in without a problem. It was an experience to say the least. Trying not to fall face first in the mud every step you took, and knowing that the excavation crew above were just waiting for one of us to take a fall was quiet a thrill!

The environmental impacts of using a geothermal system are great as the main source of heat is the earth itself. These systems have a drastically smaller footprint because there is no need to burn fossil fuels to produce the heat. The heat is just being collected from the ground, and concentrated in the home. Energy consumption can be as much as two thirds of alternative heating systems. On average the savings from a geothermal system will pay for itself in 5-7 years, which makes it the most economical renewable heating system on the market.

Dan and Donna were very nice to meet.  They were both nterested in my studies and my thoughts about renewable energy and climate change. We had several discussions about what I thought the future held in regards to climate change and the move towards a more sustainable world. While we were working on their geothermal system, they both were fully involved in building their log home. This home has been designed with the environment in mind. The moderate size (2,000 sqft), and airtight construction alone makes this home more energy efficient than most. On top of these basic fundamentals the crawl space is insulated and the roof is constructed of SIPs (structurally insulated panels) (http://www.sips.org/content/about/index.cfm?pageId=7). Having a log home happens to be a dream that I have had since I was young. Watching them both work on the house really inspired me not only to keep that dream alive, but also to improve it by incorporating renewables. Adapting to the world now is a must if we plan on becoming a more sustainable world in the future. It was great to see how enthusiastic they were about their home and the different renewable systems they have installed. They mentioned how they raised their children to uphold a strong environmental philosophy, and they realized that building a home that incorporates renewables gave them an opportunity not just to preach about that philosophy, but also to apply it in their everyday lives. Aside from the geothermal, they also has us install  2.7 kW photovoltaic system earlier this spring. This system produces approximately 12 kWh per day. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, this will offset close to half of the electricity used by the average consumer. It’s clear that Dan and Donna’s decision-making has been motivated by their desire to reduce their carbon footprint. Although their efforts won’t stop climate change, it is a giant first step in the right direction. 

Earlier this spring Toby and I headed down to Mulege Mexico to do some work on the NOLS Mexico off grid solar power system. As the school continues to grow so has their energy loads. Seeing as the roof that the solar panels were mounted to was being replaced it seemed like a good time to make some updates.

In all we added two inverters, two charge controllers, 20 solar panels, connected the new battery bank and a new reconditioned generator courtesy of the NOLS bus. When we left we had more than doubled their production, allowing the batteries to be at a higher state of charge at the end of the day.

I was personally shocked to see the power production jump ten to fifteen percent just after cleaning all the existing panels. Being a bit of a self-proclaimed clean freak, I can tell you it was the most satisfaction I have ever experienced on the job! The system is approximately a six kW system. NOLS Mexico uses power in their daily operations for water pumping, fans, lights, internet and computers. During the day they are able to produce more than enough energy for daytime loads, the excess energy gets stored in their battery bank, and is used throughout the night. all the folks that work at the branch were very nice, and our time spent their was a refreshing change of pace from daily life in Lander. It turns out that its true what they say, that all work and no play makes jack a dull boy. In some down time we were able to do a little sailing……thanks to Alex for literally showing me the ropes! My natural sailing ability is a telltale sign that Ill be back at some point for some more fun, sun and good food. 

Creative Enegies Co-owner, Andy Tyson, has accepted an appointment as the Chairman of the solar task force of the Idaho Strategic Energy Alliance (ISEA). Governor Otter established the ISEA to help develop effective and long-lasting responses to the impact of higher energy prices and other energy challenges. The Governor believes that developing options and solutions for our energy future should be a joint effort between local, tribal, state, and federal governments, as well as the profit and non-profit private sectors, fostering coordinated approaches to energy development.

The Alliance is Idaho’s primary mechanism to engage in seeking options for and enabling advanced energy production, energy efficiency, and energy business in the State of Idaho. The purpose of the Alliance is to enable the development of a sound energy portfolio for Idaho that:

1. includes diverse energy resources and production methods,
2. provides the highest value to the citizens of Idaho,
3. ensures quality stewardship of environmental resources, and
4. functions as an effective, secure, and stable system.

The Alliance consists of about a dozen volunteer task forces working in areas such as wind, biofuels, geothermal and hydropower, and energy conservation and efficiency. Andy will assume the leadership of the Solar Task Force.

Andy has worked in the solar industry for nearly ten years in three Western states and internationally. He has advised the Wyoming Governors Office directly regarding renewable energy, and worked with the Wyoming Legislature regarding renewables. Recently he has been working closely with the town of Jackson, Wyoming, on a number of innovative PV projects. He has also worked closely with several utility companies in Idaho and Wyoming to help them establish fair and effective solar net metering procedures.

AJ spent a windy day last week working on a solar power system at the Hog Creek Canal, east of Tetonia in the Teton Valley. Friends of the Teton River built a fishscreen at the entrance to the irrigation canal to keep fish in the main creek.  Hog Creek and the rest of the South Leigh Creek drainage is one of only a few watersheds in the valley that still support a healthy Cutthroat Trout population, but when the irrigation canals run, the fish get swept out of the creek and end up in farmers’ fields.

The screens are pretty cool–they’re built similar to a conveyor-belt so that as they revolve, the debris that would otherwise clog up the screen gets cleaned off.  As part of our membership in 1% For the Tetons and 1 % for the Planet, Creative Energies is donating our labor to build a system that provides solar power to run the motors for the screens.  They’re pretty simple off-grid systems; each screen gets one photovoltaic module and two batteries.

AJ spent the day mounting the PV modules on their poles and wiring them into the battery box, and preparing the motors to be mounted and connected to the drive chain for the screens, which Jake then finished a few days later.    

Each of the past two years, the Driggs-based non-profit, Friends of the Teton River, has installed fish screens. Last year, Creative Energies provided power to one on Badger Creek.  This year’s project, located on Hog Canal, was similar.  What is the purpose?  Many of the creeks and rivers in Teton Valley are critical habitat for native fish species, particularly Cutthroat Trout.  Due to our arid climate and agricultural economy, farmers divert water along ditches and canals for irrigation.  When the canals run high in the Spring, many fish swim into the irrigation ditches.  As the water level drops and the ditches run dry, the fish are stranded and die. Friends of the Teton River has installed the screens so that the water continues to flow into the canal but the fish cannot.  The solar system powers a small motor to rotate the screen periodically, and keep it from getting clogged with debris.  As a result, more fish survive in the main channel.

Creative Energies donated a portion of the project as part of our annual contribution to 1 % for the Tetons.

We have solar panels on our barn. When the sun is out the panels make electricity - kilowatt-hours (kWh). Our home either uses the kWhs or puts them into the electricity grid, banking them for later. Over the course of a year the sun meets about 70% of our electricity needs. The 25-year warranty on the panels plus a continuing effort at energy conservation (more efficient appliances, lighting, and computers/electronics, etc.) means our energy usage could still decrease over the next 30+ years!

When my wife and I moved into our current home we averaged about 1,100 kWhs/month for the first year, right in line with the Idaho residential average of 1,078 kWhs/month. (Check here for a wealth of energy statistics:  http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/state/index.cfm. We then focused on conservation measures. We changed light bulbs, replaced an ageing refrigerator, spray-foam insulated the crawl space, plugged holes, and went down the list of normal energy efficiency improvements. We were also more conscious about turning off lights, using our wood stove and keeping our baseboard electric heat turned off. All of the little measures led to a 40% energy use reduction! We used 660 kWhs/month that year. (Which is below the Wyoming average of 871 kWhs/month, and less than half of the Jackson average of 1,500 kWhs/month!)

Our next step was to install a 2kW solar electric system. It makes just less than 300 kWhs/month, which leaves our current energy purchase at around 400 kWhs/month. (Note: we actually have two houses on the property, both on the same meter - I figure the smaller rental home uses around 250 of those kWhs a month at least.)

So in the end, we took 60% off our energy use from the time we moved into the home. First we did normal improvements, and then we installed a solar electric system. If we keep working at it, we should be able to reduce even more. The rental home needs some energy efficient improvements – which is our next target.

We have fixed most of our electricity costs for the long term, become less dependent on others, and reduced our impact on the world (0.8 lbs of CO2 per local kWh = 100 tons of CO2 saved!).   We have also saved money. Using 8,400 kWhs less per year for the next 30 years is $18,000 at current electricity prices! That’s $600 a year! If the cost of electricity goes up in the future, we save even more.

Green = Green. 

On March 21, in celebration of the Spring Equinox, Creative Energies staff members AJ Linnel and Scott Kane raced as a two-person team in the 12 hour Equinox Ski Challenge in West Yellowstone, MT. The object of the race is forteams to ski as far as they can in the allotted time. AJ and Scott tookturns through the day and long into the night and finished with a tally of 184 kilometers.  - Scott Kane 

Creative Energies has been designing, providing equipment, and installing systems in Antarctica for a number of years. This year we installed and upgraded 5 remote power systems for Antarctic – Logistics and Expeditions. Power in remote areas like Antarctica is important; the system must be reliable and robust for the extreme conditions. As a business we have always worked on remote, small power systems, it is a great application of solar technology. Solar is extremely low maintenance and reliable. The “generator” uses no moving parts and runs on free sunlight (fuel). So Antarctica, space, oilfields, hunting cabins, and bus stops all are remote in their own way, benefiting from free energy from the sun without the burden, cost, and impracticality of an electric grid to connect them to central generation facilities.

Over the last decade electronics have advanced enough to allow all of us to use solar electric energy, even if we are not “remote”, living connected to the electric grid.  Choosing the appropriate energy source for the job will be an increasingly important decision in our growing world. Powering things like lights, computers, kitchen alliances and TV’s with extremely reliable and green solar electricity is available to us all, today. We can all benefit from free fuel, no moving parts and the incredible reliability of solar.