MAT-SU Valley -ACAT Solar Presentation at Agate Inn by Karl Schmid from Germany

When: Tuesday, June 15, 2010 7:00 PM

Where:
Agate Inn
4725 Begich Circle
Wasilla, AK 99654
(907) 373-2290

www.AgateInn.com for map.

For all those wanting to CARPOOL to the event, when you RSVP please add the comment that you want to carpool. We should be leaving Anchorage about 6pm and probable meet up with Eagle River members about 6:20pm. The meetup place will be based on who all RSVP and the areas they will be coming from. Suggestions are Carrs or Fred Meyers on the east side. Please RSVP a location preference too in your comment. THanks.

ACAT (Alaska Center for Appropriate Technology )
is having a special potluck and presentation on June 15th at 7 pm. Early Summer solstice

TITLE:
Location: Agate Inn conference Center ( www.agateinn.com) for map
Time: 7:00 pm- potluck, 7:40 pm- presentation
Cost: free for ACAT members, non-members $10 at event, PLUS bring a dish

Subject:
Karl Schmid (www.ktschmid.de) a passive house and Solar Architect from Germany will give a presentation on some of his projects in Germany. Karl has designed and built many homes and businesses in Germany that are not only net zero energy but sell a large amount of surplus energy back into the grid. Karl just completed a large solar park built on old army munitions bunkers. Each Ammo bunker has a large 400 PV panel tracking array. The old ammo bunker acts as a foundation and also houses the inverters and computers. This PV array sells to the German electrical grid. The system can generate 2.3 megawatts/ hour of power, transmitted at 20,000 volts. This array probably generates more solar energy than all the PV's collectively in Alaska.

The area that Karl lives in Germany is a major producer of Alternative energy, solar and wind. The area's solar industry employs over 100,000 people. They have greatly reduced the costs of installed solar systems to about $2.40 Euro/watt.

This presentation is a great opportunity to learn what is going on in Germany, plus many design and construction options that may play a role in Alaska.

Karl is in Alaska to give a presentation at the REAP renewable energy conference on June 17 and 18th in Anchorage. Sandy and I spent a few days visiting Karl a few weeks back. We were very impressed with all the alternative energy projects and the very aggressive attitude that is developing in Central Europe on Energy conservation and alternative energy systems. We came away thinking that Alaska and the US is a full decade behind and catching up will be an economic challenge.

Learn more here:
http://www.meetup.com/Alaskans-for-Alternative-Energy/calendar/13749502/Advanced Lighting workshop; LED state of the art, daylight harvesting. 

Oct 15, 2010 Anchorage. Time 7pm. There is a potluck at 6:30pm. All invited.

Future Topics

• Energy efficiency of induction motors vs ECM motors

• NZE Buildings concept and design; HERS and LEEDS rating systems.

• Smart grid - impact homeowner’s costs and energy use. 

• Net metering and interconnection  -  The best and worst practices around the world and their application to Alaska.

• The all electric automated home of the future and its impact on energy efficiency.  EV’s for smart home electron storage.

• Realizing value of energy efficiency and renewable energy systems in buildings. 

• Combustion appliance use, safety, and efficiency ratings  -  What they mean to your bottom line.

• Energy Efficiency for the homeowner.  Series of seminars;  HRV system, shell leakage; duct systems, weatherization, and green building practices.

• Geothermal and ground source heat pumps in cold weather climates.  Application; Seward Sea Life center.

• High Energy Performance Windows and Window Installation Standards.

• Energy Star Home Performance Certification and how it affects the total cost of operation over the life of the building and it’s affect on current appraised value.

• Energy efficiency retrofits for the rural communities.

• Reducing standby loss and improving efficiency using low voltage systems for refrigeration, pumping and lighting.

• Efficient home heating with wood in Alaska.  Includes overview of masonry heaters and wood fired boilers.

• Efficiency and integration of Domestic Hot Water systems with alternative energy systems.  Considerations of microwave or resistance heating for on demand point of use DHW.

• Digital and analog control systems for home automation and energy efficiency.

• Design, procurement, and installation or PV, Solar Thermal, and Wind turbine systems.  General Introduction then 3 separate advanced hands on workshops for PV, ET, Wind.

• Remote wall building with the outside insulation technique.  New construction and retrofit.  Compare with Soy based spray on insulation.

• Solar Thermal annual storage systems in Alaska.  Integration and backup heating options.  Drainback vs pressurized.  New heat exchanger techniques.  Increase of specific heat capacity of water based systems.

• Wind turbine site evaluation and installation.  The 3 most common mistakes.