February 2012

Thanks to our new and renewing Professional Members and Solar Supporters!

JOIN SOLAR OREGON!

The U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) recently evaluated the solar potential of nine military bases in California and Nevada.  It concluded that the bases could support 7,000 MW of solar energy - equivalent to the output of seven average-sized nuclear power plants.  This is more than 30 times the electricity consumed by the military installations themselves, and about two-thirds of the DoD's current electricity consumption nationwide.  And, this was on only four percent of the bases' land, the rest having been found unsuitable due to conflicts with the military's mission.  Furthermore, even if only six percent of the suitable land (or less than 1/4 of a percent of the total land area studied) was developed for solar, it would generate enough electricity to meet the DoD's nationwide renewable energy goals under the federal EPA Act of 2005.

Photo of Edwards Air Force Base Reproduced courtesy of ReCharge News

Why would this be good for solar in Oregon?  Oregon has no large military installations.  But what Oregon has is vast tracts of federally-owned land -- in fact, the U.S. government owns a whopping 53.1 percent of the land in Oregon (almost 32 million acres), much of it in the sunny eastern part of the state and most of it managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).  

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By Jack Simons, Solar Oregon member & Solar Ambassador 

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By Solar Oregon Board President Ron "Mac" McDowell 

It was a successful evening by any measure. The place was packed.  Our first Solar Drinks of 2012 was held at the June Key Delta Community Center (JKDCC) in North Portland.  Solar Oregon Professional member John Patterson, President of Mr. Sun Solar, talked about his recent trip throughout China and shared slides he had presented at the 2011 Low Carbon Earth Summit held last October in Dalian, China. By invitation, he had chaired the solar section at the Summit attended by over 1,000 energy experts from 58 countries.

 

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NESL solar panels power Mr. Sun's shop

The June Key Delta Community Center Story

 By Solar Oregon Development Director, Adam Sage     

Chris Poole-Jones, JKDCC Project Coordinator, tells the Center's story at Solar Drinks

   

The June Key Delta Community Center, located across the street from Peninsula Park in North Portland, has been transformed over the past twenty years from an abandoned brownfield site to a "living building" community center. Longtime Portland educator and community leader, June Key, donated the standard 1960's concrete and metal gas station in 1992 to the Portland Alumnae Chapter of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Since then, The June Key Delta Community Center has become one of the first grassroots African American owned living buildings in the United States. The building inspires future sustainable rebuilding projects in communities historically burdened by environmental, health, economic, educational, and social disparities.  

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Solar Oregon Seeks Event Coordinator   

 

Do you enjoy planning and coordinating events? Do you have marketing or social media experience? Are you passionate about solar? Available for 10-15 hours a week, plus the occasional evening or weekend? Then YOU could be Solar Oregon's Event Coordinator!