December 2013 

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

JOIN SOLAR OREGON!

30% of the energy use in the U.S. is used for thermal applications. This includes considering all the energy used for transportation. Thermal applications can be as simple as the need for air that is 10 degrees warmer than the outside air or the other extreme of high temperatures used for industrial processing.

Commercial, institution al, and industrial buildings often have high ventilation rates. Think about the need for ventilation in the typical gymnasium or poultry farm! Although all that fresh air may be required for good indoor air quality, it can be very expensive to heat all that air. A simple solar technology has been developed to preheat ventilation air that can dramatically reduce utility bills.

Transpired air collector systems consist of a dark-colored, perforated façade installed on a building's south facing wall. An added fan or the building's existing ventilation system draws ventilation air into the building through the perforated absorber plate on the façade and up the plenum air space between the absorber and the south wall. Solar energy absorbed by the dark absorber and transferred to the air flowing through it can preheat the intake air by as much as 40oF. The US Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) was the co-developer of the concept and installed them on their new Platinum LEED rated Research Support Facility in Golden, Co in 2010. NREL claims typical reduced heating costs will pay for the systems in 3-12 years.

BRUCE BARNEY, Board Secretary

Bruce has been involved with Solar Oregon for many years and his experience working for a local utility company is an asset to our board. He is currently project manager for the Portland General Electric (PGE) Customer Energy Resources group. The majority of his work at PGE is managing dispatchable generation projects, but he also manages the net metering program. Net metering allows customers to interconnect their electricity generation (solar, wind, etc...) with PGE's grid to help offset their own power usage.  

Bruce has a degree in Biology and also holds a BSME - Mechanical Engineering, with a minor in Electrical Engineering - from the University of Maine. He is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Oregon. Bruce has a 3kW solar electric system at his home and is also the proud owner of a Nissan LEAF electric vehicle and a sawmill that he is using to create locally harvested lumber and beams for his (future) barn.