The Solar Reflector   

                    Newsletter of the Texas Solar Energy Society- August 2012                                                 

 Time to renew? Become a new TXSES member? 
           We do cool stuff.

We have chapters in Austin, North Texas, San Antonio and Houston who educate their communities on the benefits of renewable energy. Look below for their upcoming solar tours!


Open House
Saturday, Aug. 25 9am-1pm

Join TXSES and other green advocacy groups to learn more about Austin's solar community, industry developments, new technology, and the city's 2013 solar forecast. More

   Texas Energy Symposium
How can solar help ERCOT meet the peak challenge? August 28

Solar energy could have lightened the peak load of the summer of 2011 and saved Texans $520 million in electric costs. More  



   October is Solar Month!

Homes and businesses using solar power open their doors to the public for the ASES National Solar Tour. Texas features four tours - Houston, San Antonio, Dallas/Ft. Worth and the Hill Country. This is your opportunity to learn why adopting solar power is a smart move.

   The Roundup is back!

Visit Fredericksburg Sept 28-30 and learn why this event is the best green living fair in the
South! Purchase tickets online  and benefit TXSES! Coupon code is TXSES2012       
       
One environment.
One simple way to care for it.  
One gift through workplace giving can support TXSES and other respected environmental charities. More
   

TXSES Sponsors

 

   

 

   

 

 

 

   

 

 



    Bison Pro Fab 
  AEGB logo

 

Visit our Business Member Page
to view all our business member supporters.
Generous individual supporters include Robert Foster, Carol Harwell, Debrah Dubay, Vaughn Nelson, Ti Mougne, Steve Wiese, Charles Schneider, Chris Chandler, Jane Pulaski, Lorin and Mary Vant Hull, and Elizabeth Penniman
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              TXSES 
       

What we do, who we are
The latest state solar news
Contact

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Chairman's Corner

  Christine Chandler  

 

It is with great reluctance that we announce the resignation of Natalie Marquis as Executive Director of TXSES. Throughout Natalie's five years at TXSES, she was instrumental in obtaining grants, organizing the Cool House Tour, working with EarthShare of Texas, and was involved in many other events and initiatives. Promoting sustainable practices is her passion and her energy and commitment to TXSES will be greatly missed. More      

The Perfect Sun


By Dr. Chris Boyer                          

Like the movie, "The Perfect Storm," there is now a convergence of events in Texas' electric industry all pointing to the coming of power instability and rolling blackouts. However, in the mist of these troubles, there is a brilliant solution (pun intended) that can save us from these woes, "The Perfect Sun." As members of TXSES, we support renewable energy at heart; let's now, more than ever, communicate the need support renewable energy to our state and national representatives. More  

           The Military Commitment to                    Renewable Energy  
By Colonel Scot Arey
Three Gigawatts (GW) by 2020 - that's the Department of Defense commitment to renewable energy. It's even more amazing when one realizes that the total solar PV installations in the entire nation to date are approximately 2.6 GW (
Open PV Project). This is the first of a three part series that will explore the military's commitment to renewable energy technologies and the positive effects for Texas communities and renewable energy industries. The ultimate objective is to persuade Texas renewable industry leaders that there is so much more that can be done.
More

        TXSES Member Wins NASA Award  
               For Solar Refrigerator    
                

Each year NASA picks a government and a commercial "invention of the year" from among its awarded patents. In 2011 the honor for commercial invention of the year went to a solar powered refrigeration system invented by NASA engineer and TXSES Board Member Michael Ewert and co-inventor David Bergeron, founder SunDanzer, a company licensed by NASA to sell the unique new products.   

  

The innovation is the combination of refrigerator cabinet, thermal storage and control algorithm that runs the DC compressor directly from a solar PV panel whenever the sun shines. Ice thermal storage keeps food or other contents cold over night and on cloudy days.

  

Several different "battery-free" solar refrigerators and air-conditioners have been designed and built for government and commercial applications. Late last year one of these received World Health Organization certification as a vaccine solar refrigerator and hundreds have already been deployed to remote locations that critically need them. The photos below are from one of the first installations that SunDanzer completed in Senegal.

 

More information can be found at NASA and at Sundanzer.  

 

            

 
          
        Solar America Cities Grant Wraps
Up With Award for Solar Curriculum 

By Natalie Marquis 

The contest is over, the winners selected... and two people have more "green" in their pockets. The Solar America Cities grant, sponsored by the Department of Energy, is the reason for this positive cash flow. The awards for the best solar curriculum in school districts served by Austin Energy were presented to two individuals who each wrote curricula for multiple grade levels. The money had "no strings attached" and was for the individuals to use in any way chosen. More        

     
        
            The Solar Reflector is a    

              publication of TXSES   


 Chairman - Christine Chandler 

 Interim Executive Director - Lucy Stolzenburg
 Editor - Lucy Stolzenburg

 Contributing Writers- Chris Boyer, Scot Arey, Natalie Marquis  

 

The Texas Solar Energy Society, a 501(c)(3), was founded in 1976 as a non-profit organization created to increase awareness for the potential of solar and other renewable energy applications and to promote the wise use of sustainable and non-polluting resources.  TXSES is a chapter of the American Solar Energy Society, shining light on the solution since 1954.   

                     

                 

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