No obligation : Floridians interested in solar are encouraged to register at  www.SolarizeNow.org. Each registration will be informed of solar alternatives (electric/photovoltaic/PV and thermal hot water), competitive group discounted prices, incentives and financing options. Solar discounts in Gainesville, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, Miami, Ocala, Tallahassee and surrounding communities.

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Capacity Crowd Sparks 2^nd Alachua County Solar Workshop

The Solar Readiness: Solar Energy & Efficiency Workshop held at the Alachua County Administration building on July 28, 2012, drew a room-capacity crowd and sparked a second workshop for September 8, 2012. Admission to the two hour workshop is free. Pre-registration and complete details about the two hour workshop are available online at www.SolarReadiness.com.

Organizers and sponsors of the Solar Readiness: Solar Energy & Efficiency Workshop said the community response to the first workshop was overwhelmingly positive, thus prompting the need for further workshop offerings.

The Solar Readiness Team will present the basics of solar electric and hot water systems, operational efficiency for ideal energy consumption, solar off-set calculations, solar resource and site assessment tools, project price identifiers, return-on-investment concepts and available solar and efficiency financing methods.

What:
Solar Readiness: Solar Energy & Efficiency Workshop

When:
September 8, 2012
10am to 12pm (two hours)

Where:
Alachua County Administration Building
12 SE 1st Street
Gainesville, FL 32601

Registration:
Free but pre-registration requested at www.SolarReadiness.com

Sponsors include Alachua County Sustainability Department, Solari Now!, Alachua Clean Energy, Green Energy Options, Kurt Johnsen Energy Systems and Power Production Management.

The Solar Readiness: Solar Energy & Efficiency Workshop is presented by Clean Energy Logistics Lab of Gainesville, Florida, an American owned entrepreneurial business which partners with nonprofits, communities and solar installers to promote the installation of solar power (PV) systems. Their solar and efficiency initiative programs support cooperative outreach and education partnerships, and connect the public to certified solar integrators and installers.

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Solar Energy & Efficiency Expo in Gainesville draws attention on Earthday

A group of approximately 75 solar energy and efficiency enthusiast gathered at the Solar Energy & Efficiency Expo in Gainesville to peruse exhibits and to attend educational workshops. The Expo crowd gathered at the University of Florida’s Beta Theta Pi fraternity which recently installed a 10 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) electric generating system.

“Welcome to Gainesville’s first Solar Energy & Efficiency Expo”, proclaimed Stuart Block, the Expo’s coordinator and Beta Theta Pi’s solar advocate. “Our goal is to spread the word about solar energy, educate about how solar works, understand efficiency and conservation measures and to provide information about investing in solar”, said Block.

The Solar Energy & Efficiency Expo was held on April 21st, 2012, from 11am to 1pm.

The Expo featured presentations which explained the basics of solar electric and solar hot water, solar readiness through efficiency and conservation and how to finance efficiency and solar. Speakers included Stuart Block, intern for Clean Energy Logistics Lab and UF Sustainability student – Kevin Veach, Owner of Green Energy Options, a local provider for Energy Audits, Energy Efficiency Consulting and Building Performance – Don Davis, President, Capitol City Bank – and, Alex Khokhlov, Owner of Power Production Management.

Using a solar training module provided by Santa Fe College, attendees had the opportunity to learn the basic structure of solar PV systems and to ask related questions.

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Gainesville, Florida, Clean Energy Logistics Lab, Inc. (CELL) announced the launch of their 'Solarize Now!' group discount program. Solarize Now! is modeled after the community driven Solarize program of Portland, Oregon, which installed hundreds of solar systems in just a few months. The Solarize Portland program has since received national recognition from both non-profit and for-profit solar companies and the US Department of Energy as "a grassroots effort to help overcome the financial and logistical hurdles of installing solar power".

Purchasing and installing a solar energy system through Solarize Now! is as simple as one-two-three. With no obligation, Floridians interested in solar are encouraged to register at  www.SolarizeNow.org. Each registration will be informed of solar alternatives (electric/photovoltaic/PV and thermal hot water), group discounted prices, incentives and financing options. Each sold solar system will be installed by local certified and licensed solar installation companies that are in partnership with CELL.

CELL is a Gainesville, Florida, based company that partners with community organizations and local certified and licensed solar installers to promote the use and purchase of solar through their nationwide  Solar Ambassadors America program.

Solar energy is quickly becoming the clean energy of choice for many homes and businesses in Florida and across the country. Solar stabilizes the cost of energy at a time when utilities are progressively raising rates. The Solarize Now! group discount program means even more homes and businesses can go solar and enjoy many years of low-cost electrical power and hot water.

Anyone interested in the Solarize Now! group discount program can visit www.SolarizeNow.org.

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Solar Energy & Efficiency Expo

April 21, 2012
11:00am to 1:00pm

Gainesville – The Alachua Clean Energy (ACE) taskforce today announced a fully interactive and hands-on Solar Energy & Efficiency Expo featuring the basics of solar electric, solar hot water, financing and solar readiness for home and business to be held in Gainesville. The Solar Energy & Efficiency Expo is recommended for home owners, building owners, building managers, real estate agents, builders, architects and anyone considering solar as an electric or water heating source. The Expo features a live, hands-on, demonstration of a state-of-the-art solar electric and hot water training system, presented by Santa Fe College, which simulates actual installed solar electric and hot water systems.

Presentations include “Financing & Return on Investment” concepts, offered by Don Davis, President, Capital City Bank of Gainesville and longtime green energy-efficiency financing specialist - “Efficiency As the First Step to Going Solar”, presented by energy efficiency and weatherization specialist Kevin Veach, Owner, Green Energy Options – “Solar Electric & Hot Water” simulation, presented by Santa Fe College – “Basics of Solar Energy”, presented by Stuart Block, Intern, Clean Energy Logistics Lab, and UF student – Plus, many other local solar and efficiency professionals and enthusiasts.

The Expo will be held at the University of Florida’s Beta Theta Pi fraternity house which recently underwent an energy efficiency remodel as well as having a 10 kW solar energy system installed. Stuart Block, a UF student majoring in Sustainability Studies, began implementing the solar installation in the fall of 2011 which will be complete at the time of the scheduled Solar Energy & Efficiency Expo and available for review to Expo attendees. As an Intern for Clean Energy Logistics Lab, Block continues to help others learn about going solar and is the Expo coordinator.

Attendees are asked to RSVP or register for this event, as space is limited. Details about the Solar Energy & Efficiency Expo, driving directions, parking and registration are available at www.SolarizeGators.com.

The Alachua Clean Energy taskforce was established by several Gainesville residents and energy professionals to explore renewable energy and efficiency financing options, report such findings to the Alachua County Board of Commissioners, and to educate the public about how to finance clean energy projects. The taskforce meets monthly.

What: Solar Energy & Efficiency Expo
When: April 21, 2012 from 11:00am to 1:00pm (2 hours)
Where: Beta Theta Pi Fraternity House (On the UF Campus, map online)
                13 Fraternity Drive
                Gainesville, Fla. 32603
Cost: Free but RSVP/Register online at www.SolarizeGators.com
Parking: Free – parking map available online

For more information about the Solar Energy & Efficiency Expo contact;

Stuart Block
(352) 256-9722
www.SolarizeGators.com
stuart@findsolarpro.com

Beta Theta Pi solar installation in Gainesville