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About Us
The Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Association (MAREA) is a nonprofit organization, dedicated to informing and educating the public on renewable energy production, energy efficiency, and sustainable living through meetings, workshops, educational materials, and energy fairs.
Visit us on theweb at
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On-Line Calendars
Many areas and groups use
on-line calendars to let the community know of upcoming events.
These are great, environmentally friendly and low-cost ways for us to get the word out about the Festival. If you run across a calendar that you think would be appropriate, please send the link to themarea@gmail.org.
You've done the hardest part, we'll take it from there...thanks so much! |
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May MAREA Meeting
Focus on Home Improvement Cooperatives
Members of a local home improvement cooperative will highlight their work on a solar hot water installation at the May meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Association. The public is invited to the free program, which will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 31 at 1 TEK Park, 9999 Hamilton Boulevard, Breinigsville, 18031.
In 2006, four families joined together to form a home improvement cooperative to combine social activities with necessary home maintenance, according to member Paula Focazio, "Every weekend we were faced with the choice: do we so what we should do-work on the house-or go visit our friends?"
"We have met at each other's homes on a rotating basis to share work and companionship more than 40 times in the last five years. Projects have ranged from the challenging-installing solar hot water panels, building a second floor loft inside an existing dwelling, and complete bathroom renovations -- to the mundane--painting bedrooms and cleaning basements and garages," Focazio said.
In the area of energy efficiency, coop members have also installed radiant heat and insulation. Presenters at the MAREA talk include Andy Wander, a vice president of engineering at Verrex Corporation, Martin Focazio, a strategist at Empathy Lab and Paula Focazio a stay-at-home mom and artist.
Following the talk, there will be a networking session and planning meeting for this fall's Pennsylvania Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Festival. Volunteers are needed and anyone with an interest in renewable energy or sustainable living is welcome to participate.
The seventh annual festival will be held September 16-18, 2011 at Kempton in Berks County. MAREA, which was formed in 2005, is a nonprofit, grassroots educational organization that supports citizen participation in renewable energy and sustainable living projects.
MAREA, which was formed in 2005, is a nonprofit, grassroots educational organization that supports citizen participation in renewable energy and sustainable living projects.
TEK Park
9999 Hamilton Boulevard
Breinigsville, PA 18031
May 31st
7 p.m. |
Photovoltaic Workshop:
Go Solar with your hand, head and heart - It's right to do.
Sign up for a photovoltaic (pv) installation workshop by the Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Association.
Learn about pv while installing a 10 kilowatt, ground-mounted, grid-tied system.
Workshop to be held daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 13-16 at a residence in Kutztown, PA.
MAREA members and the public are invited to enroll in a four-day hands-on installation of a photovoltaic system near Kutztown, PA. The system, adjacent to a small vineyard, located at the edge of the woods in the rolling hills of eastern Pennsylvania, consists of 44 modules fastened to a ground-mounted frame. This is the fifth year the nonprofit Mid-Atlantic Renewable Energy Association is offering installation workshops with a blend of classroom instruction.
Participants will assemble the Unirac framing, install the Solon 230 watt modules, combiner box, pull wire 1100 feet in underground conduit and help with the Fronius inverter installation under the supervision of an electrician and NABCEP certified installers.
No previous experience with PV or a technical background is needed and all skill levels can be accommodated by the instructors. Classroom instruction by Vera Cole, author of "The Pennsylvania Homeowner's Guide to Solar Electricity." covers basic photovoltaics, the PA rebate program and renewable energy credits. Electrician-led sessions include electrical grounding and safety and wire and breaker sizing. Topics including site analysis, component selection and project layout will be covered by NABCEP-certified installers.
Class work will also cover basic home energy auditing-the reduction of electricity being an important part of all PV installations.
Lunches and textbooks will be provided. Books include "The Pennsylvania Homeowner's Guide to Solar Electricity" and "Solar Photovoltaic Systems," a comprehensive and illustrated electrical code text by Mike Holt.
Cost of the class is $500 for MAREA members and $550 for nonmembers. You can sign up for a membership at the same time you register to take advantage of the member discount!
For more information, contact Bill Hennessy at bill.hennessy@themarea.org or call 610.682.4300
Class size is limited with MAREA members being offered the first opportunity to register.
Register online on our website at http://www.themarea.org/workshop6-13-11.html
Or by mail, with checks payable to MAREA, PO Box 84, Kutztown, PA 19530
Registration is not complete until we receive your payment. |
Sustainable Obtainable Symposium:
LAST CHANCE: Call for Papers ends May 31st
MAREA is pleased to announce the first Sustainable Obtainable Symposium, a one-day event to be held in conjunction with this year's festival, on Friday, September 16. We are releasing a Call for Papers to institutions across the region seeking undergraduate and graduate papers that investigate energy issues and solutions. MAREA is awarding up to $1,500 in prize money and winners will be invited to present their work at the Symposium. The day will also include a luncheon and speakers who will discuss employment opportunities for careers in sustainability.
With this Symposium, MAREA is looking to encourage and recognize hard-working students for their dedication and creativity in fields contributing to a more sustainable society. We look forward to learning from their good ideas! Submissions may include original research, investigative and demonstration projects, illuminating analysis, position papers, supported proposals and novel concepts. A wide range of topics are welcome, including architecture and buildings, transportation, renewable electricity generation, social science, recycling and waste management and agriculture.
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Call For Local Artists
. . . and their ways of reducing our ecological footprint.
Your art could be part of the solution!!!
The PA Renewable Energy and Sustainable Living Festival is looking to display 3D sculptures on the festival grounds,
September 16-18, 2011 in Kempton PA for this year's festival
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Questions or Comments? Drop us a line or call Bill Hennessy at 610-682-4300. |
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