Maine Solar Energy Association Calendar of Upcoming Events
Self-Made Solar Hot Water Collectors Workshop
Saturday & Sunday, Jan. 24th & 25th, Owls Head, ME
The purpose of this Maine Solar Energy Association workshop is to learn about becoming a producer of renewable energy using self-made solar hot water collectors. We will complete one collector and install it, along with five previously made collectors. Participants will also get hands-on experience in installing a solar electric PV panel.
Date, Time and Site: January 24th and 25th, 2009 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Dates may be changed if the roofs are icy.
Place: 114 Makers Cove Road, Owls Head, ME.
Cost: $85 for the two days, $50 for one, lunch will
be included.
To register or for more information please call:
Soni Biehl @ 733-1095 in the evenings
Build A 60w PV Module in Jonesport, ME,
Sat&Sun Feb 7-8 and again, Mar 7-8. (January sessions cancelled.)
Learn how to assemble your own Photovoltaic module for producing electricity. Richard Komp has pioneered PV module production as a cottage industry in Nicaragua, Mali, Haiti and India. In this workshop you'll get to participate in assembling a 60 Watt PV module, utilizing the encapsulation process, developed in Nicaragua with Grupo Fenix. Depending on the number of participants, we will be making one or more 60 W modules, which are capable of charging 12 V batteries and thus are a good start for a small home or cabin PV system. This workshop is in conjunction with SEADS, non-profit group and will be held at 17 Rockwell Rd., Jonesport, ME (Home of SkyHeat Associates, Rich Komp and MeSEA.) John Burke, of SEADS will be co-facilitator. John has had many years of experience working in the solar field and is currently working with the ARC Center in Harlem, NY, developing a program to manufacture UL approved PV modules. Soni Biehl, treasurer of MESEA, has experience with PV installation and assembly and will be co-facilitator.
For more information: phone: 207-733-1095 or 516-669-2442 or
e-mail: seads@maineline.net , dadsolar@yahoo.com , or sonibiehl@gmail.com
Date, Time: Sat & Sun, Feb 7 and 8, 10am - 4 pm , Lunch included. Contact us if you are vegetarian or have other specialty dietary needs. Workshop will be repeated Sat&Sun Mar 7-8, same times and location.
Place: The workshop will be held at the solar home of Rich Komp, 17 Rockwell Rd SE, Jonesport, Maine. - Carpooling from Four Corners Columbia, ME parking lot 9:30 am!
(Dr. Komp will be in Nicaragua for Grupo Fenix "Solar Cultural Course")
Cost: $50.-one day, $85-.two days; optionally, pre-purchase a 60 Watt module for an additional $300.
(Checks should be made payable to MESEA and sent to: MESEA, 351 Wilcox Rd., Trescott Twp, ME 04652)
Instructors: John Burke, Soni Biehl
Solar Hot Water Collector Workshop
Sunday February 15th, 2009, Norway, ME
The Maine Solar Energy Association is sponsoring a workshop teaching people how to make solar hot water collectors. Energy generation in its simplest form!
Date/Time: February 15th from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Place: The Progress Center, 35 Cottage St. Norway, ME
Cost: $50 for one, lunch is included.
To register, please call Soni Biehl @ 733-1095
NESEA Building Energy 2009
Boston Seaport World Trade Center, 10-12 March 2009
Nearly 200 speakers, experts from every field of the sustainable energy and building industries, are preparing dozens of sessions and accredited workshops for BE09. Richard Komp and others from MESEA will be giving an all day workshop on PV-thermal Hybrid systems on the 10th of March. Listings of all sessions and workshops information can be viewed at the BE09 website, www.buildingenergy.nesea.org.
Grupo Fenix Solar-Culture Course
5 through 15 January, 2009, Nicaragua, again in July 2009
For more information on this winter's session of this popular course, please check the www.grupofenix.org website. The cost is $995, including all travel and expenses in Nicaragua and the group is limited to 15 participants, so please sign up early as last January's course was full.
Experience Solar Culture in Nicaragua
Eleven day course offered twice each year in Nicaragua.
The January 2009 course is just over. For the next opportunity for a workshop, see Grupo Fenix at www.grupofenix.org/courses.html
Come to Nicaragua and engage your head, heart, and hands in the real work of developing countries. Our hands-on courses allow you to be immersed in the daily life of rural Nicaraguans by living with host families and working alongside local community members to create their vision of a model community through renewable energy and sustainable practices.
Discuss the theory behind solar energy and the challenges of development with your instructors and other course participants over lunch. Spend your days learning how to construct solar cookers or install photovoltaic systems. Laugh along with your host family as you try to recall your high school Spanish, balance water on your head or make tortillas. Most activities and classes are held in the new adobe Solar Center. Housing will be simple, like that of a typical rural Nicaraguan family.
Explore a beautiful country and its culture while learning about renewable energy and sustainable development in the field. Our courses provide a unique travel experience that is educational, rewarding, and fun!
This course has been offered by Grupo Fenix since 1999. It is a great introduction to the science and use of appropriate renewable energy technologies such as solar cookers, dryers and photovoltaic systems. Dr. Richard Komp, an expert from Maine with over 40 years experience working with solar technologies, teaches the technical classes for the January version of the course and is a guest instructor for the July course.
For the next opportunity for a workshop, see Grupo Fenix at www.grupofenix.org/courses.html
For information about MESEA contact:
Richard Komp, President
SunWatt Corporation
17 Rockwell Rd. SE
Jonesport ME 04649
207-497-2204, sunwatt@juno.com