The GridKicker, by Solaroad Technologies

A picture is worth 1,000 words, so I will be brief and only share two pictures of one of the most practical, obvious renewable energy solutions that I have seen in some time.  The GridKicker by Solaroad Technologies, Inc.  Designed for use by road construction workers this device has obvious applications for any niche of the construction industry.  According to the company, the GridKicker can generate up to 5,000 watts, about the same as a high-end gasoline powered generator, only this beauty makes no noise, has no fumes, and continually re-charges itself while in use.  Is there a gas generator that can automatically re-fill itself, at no cost to you?  When I saw this picture my first thought was, how soon will I be able to buy on at The Home Depot or Lowes, and for how much? 

Imagine workmen coming to put on an addition to your house, repair your deck, or install solar panels on your roof.  Instead of a Honda gas powered generator and red tanks of gasoline to power thier tools they pull a GridKicker out of thier truck, set it up in the sunlight in your front lawn, run a yellow extension cord to thier work bench, and away they go with drills, saws, and other power tools.  Come to think of it, I can see myself doing just that working on my house in New Hampshire, or even for back up power supply.

THIS is what I call being an ‘emergy locavore’ – one construction site at a time.

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New Hallowell Acadia energy saving HVAC Units

Green is no longer just a color in military uniforms; it is now a part of the everyday lives of our troops and their families.  Now Fort Dix/ McGuire Air Force Base in New Jersey, the largest military housing community in the United States is at the helm of this green revolution and keeping our troops and their families comfortable while conserving energy with the Acadia: combined heating and cooling system from Hallowell International.

United Communities, LLC is the owner of the Military Housing Privatization Project charged with renovating Fort Dix/McGuire AFB. Following extensive research of energy efficient technologies, including geothermal, they chose to install over 2,000 of Hallowell’s Acadia: combined heating and cooling systems in all base housing as part of a four year housing renewal project.

“When we took on this project we wanted to create a comprehensive housing program that encompassed green initiatives, with a focus on utility conservation. The Acadia fit perfectly into this model.” said Jack Gafford, Director of Development for United Communities LLC. “We are not only creating a comfortable environment for these military families, but we are taking an active role in helping the environment by reducing our energy consumption. “

The Military Privatization Act is a national program that allows private developers, through competitive offers, to redevelop and operate military housing for a 50-year term. This act is improving the standard of living for members of the military and affording comfortable modern homes for them and their families.

Using the combination of gas furnace and electric air conditioner is the standard installation strategy in most of today’s modern communities. Hallowell, however, has combined these functions in the Acadia system and achieved unheard of performance and reliability.

From the point of view of the 2,000 home Fort Dix/McGuire AFB community, the installation of the Acadia system will cost no more than the standard gas and electric a/c system, will reduce energy consumption by more than 20% annually and produce an annual savings of $ 1,520,000. Even more impressive is the fact that the Hallowell system will last 25 years whereas the standard systems will probably need replacement in 16 years.

There is now a fourth color to add to our red, white and blue—And Green!

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"Dorothy's Turbine"

Leave it to the self-described home town of Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz to harness the wind.

In Kansas-Smith Farms, located a few miles from Liberal Kansas (no, I did not make that up), a hog farm erected two Vestas turbines that were re-manufactured by Halus Power Systems in 2005. Each turbine has a capacity of 120kw which will be used to offset a portion of the energy used by the large commercial hog feeding operation.

The farm consists of several large facilities to house the hogs which require considerable energy for both cooling in the summer and heating in the winter. This project was NOT subsidized by a federal grant or state loan but rather by the farmer himself at an expected payback of about six years.  (And note the solar panels on the barn roofs in the image on the right.)

As major commercial enterprises, monthly electric bills for farmers can be substantial.  That’s why farmers in every state are adding even a small amount of renewable energy to their facilities or farm land to offset high energy bills.  Wineries in California that use tremendous energy for processing and cooling are erecting solar on rooftops and un-cultivated land.

Kansas-Smith Farms, KS

Chicken farmers in Delaware are looking at putting solar on their expansive roofs to cover heating, cooling, and processing costs (and then there is the issue of what to do about all that manure – think alternative fuels).

And corn farmers in Indiana are erecting windmills on the perimeter of their property to increase annual income per acre while still maintaining revenue from traditional farming.

As each farm across country reduces their demand on the grid and far-off coal and oil fired power plants by generating even a portion of that demand on-site they join the energy locavore movement.  Energy independence can only be achieved one house, one school, one farm at a time.  It’s already happening, the pace is quickening, and the results are already being felt.

If you know of a great local story about farmers using renewable energy share it in the Comments section below.

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San Francisco Solar Map

Under the leadership of Jared Blumenfeld, Director, San Francisco Department of the Environment, the city now has 1,311 PV systems installed with a total capacity of 7.5MW. Estimated annual cost savings exceed $1,500,000.  And sites can be found across the entire city, from businesses in the financial district, to condo’s in the Richmond, to single family homes in the Sunset.  Citizens of San Francisco are taking personal responsibility for creating at least a portion of their energy needs on-location; and that is the definition of being an energy locavore.

And it’s not just solar homes and businesses.  The city recently installed solar powered bus shelters, several schools and municipal buildings now have solar, and there are some small wind installations that off-set a portion of the energy load from that building or structure.

Solar Powered Bus Station Image by Inhabitat

When we started Build Baby Build just nine months ago, we asserted that the growth of distributed generation was a key component to growth of the renewable energy industry and our nations goal of achieving energy independence, one community at a time.  Some say this is folly, a pipe dream, especially in a down economy.  But people also forget that in the early 1900’s most people thought a bridge across the Golden Gate Straight was impossible and impractical; then on November 4, 1930, at the height of the Great Depression, voters is San Francisco went to the polls and put their homes, farms and business properties up as collateral to support a $35 million bond issue to finance the building of the Golden Gate Bridge.

Today, many more cities and towns have programs similar to San Francisco’s that encourage the development of local renewable energy resources.  If you have a local success story, please use the Comment section below to share it with our readers.

Related posts:

1. Success for San Francisco Solar Energy Incentive Program
2. Greenspotting Tips and Tricks

14KW Rooftop Solar PV System in CT

Consulting Engineering Services teamed with their sister company LMG and Muir Electric to plan and build a 14 kW solar PV system on their 14,000 s.f. office building in Middletown, Connecticut. In February of 2009 the team successfully completed the new solar system with dual axis solar tracker and solar hot water.

This distributed generation project is our highlighted installation for the week.

The dual axis solar tracker will produce roughly 1.5 kw and is made up of eight pole-mounted solar electric panels that rotate as it tracks the sun’s position throughout the day. This tracker maximizes the solar energy provided by the sun by constantly adjusting its position to match the optimum angle to the sun.

The rooftop system consists of 72 Schuco solar panels that will generate approximately 15,000 kWh annually. One of the rooftop panels is dedicated to a new solar hot water system that includes a drain back tank in the janitors closet. One of the major challenges in the design of the system was attaching the solar panels to an existing standing seam roof.

CES worked closely with Girard and Company, LLP Structural Engineers to formulate a solution while maximizing available roof space. This system will make enough hot water to support the buildings needs 50% – 75% of the year.

This system not only provides clean energy to the building, it also allows CES employees to gain valuable hands-on experience in the design and installation of such systems. CES is be able to track the power output and efficiency for the lifetime of the system, and share this data with clients that are exploring solar electricity for their own projects.

CES was able to complete this project through the help of grants received from the Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF) and is also an approved Connecticut Clean Energy Fund PV Installer. As of July 1, 2009 the CCEF has reopened its Small Solar PV Rebate Program (SSPVRP) with $3.1 million in new funding for residential solar installations. Please visit the CCEF’s website for more information.

Consulting Engineering Services, Inc.
www.cesct.com

Connecticut Clean Energy Fund (CCEF)
http://www.ctcleanenergy.com/

If you have a residential or community project you would like to spotlight on BBB please send us 4-5 paragraphs, at least one image, and a link to your site.

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Greenspotting contest continues

While you are out and about this summer, don’t forget that our greenspotting contest continues.  That’s right – just snap a photo of renewable energy along the way, and then submit it to us with a comment on this post.  You could take home some sleek Black & Decker energy savings gadgets, just like Robert from Spokane, WA (last month’s winner).

If you’re looking for solar panels or wind turbines, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to find them!  Just check out our tips and tricks, and then fire up your computer.

This weekend, I’m heading 2 1/2 hours south.  As always, I’ll have my digital camera on the front seat to take pictures of the gorgeous scenery… or the beauty of people going green.  I don’t even have to leave town to greenspot, however.  Solar panels are found on the rooftop of a local newspaper, and also some traffic signals.  Check out the photos to the right and below.

Win during our greenspotting contest

Our greenspotting contest continues through October 2009, with a new winner announced each month.  Wouldn’t you enjoy a free gift from Black & Decker to help you save even more on your energy costs?

Here’s a primer on “how to” enter.  Just do one of the following:

1. Upload your photo to our Flickr pool – don’t forget to mention where the photo was taken and what type of green project it is!
2. Post your photo along with a comment about where it was taken and what it is in our “Gone Greenspotting?” post.
3. Email us your photo along with a note about its location at contact@buildbabybuild.com and we’ll upload it for you. You can also DM us on our Twitter feed @BuildBabyBuild and send us a link to your photo.

Here’s the standard disclaimer (our lawyers made us remind you):

Build Baby Build and its publisher Smith Energy, LLC assume no liability regarding the use or operation of the Black & Decker Products, is not responsible for loss or damage from a shipper, and reserves the right to change the terms of or withdraw the offer at any time.  Build Baby Build does not endorse, guarantee or otherwise represent Black & Decker, its products, agents, resellers or retailers and makes no warranty with respect to any product won by a contestant. Winners are entitled to only the products offered and no other product, service, or compensation of any kind.

Black & Decker, Power Monitors and Thermal Leak Detector are Registered Trademarks of the Black & Decker, Inc.

Related posts:

1. Greenspotting 101
2. Greenspotting for Prizes and Fun
3. Join our Greenspotting team and Win a FREE Black & Decker Power Monitor

Windmill and Solar Panels near Spokane, WA

The first month of our Greenspotting contest is over and we have a winner! Robert from Spokane, WA submitted this photograph of a small wind turbine and solar array on a local farm.

As the winner of our first monthly giveaway Robert will receive a set of Energy Saver products from Black & Decker. Congratulations!

Don’t forget to post your Greenspotting photos for your chance to win in July! Remember, Greenspotting is easy to do – there are opportunities everywhere! Keep an eye out for renewable energy if you’re traveling this weekend.

Related posts:

1. Greenspotting Contest Continues
2. Join our Greenspotting team and Win a FREE Black & Decker Power Monitor
3. Greenspotting Contest is Underway

Charlie's Kitchen Original Logo Circa 1950

Now, before anyone knee jerks to thinking that a Cambridge, MA eatery next to the premiere institution of higher education is pompous, posh and expensive, Charlies offers a $4 cheeseburger with fries (bacon is extra), and a cold draft beer for $5 – posh, Charlies is not. But ask any local about Charlies and you will get an enthusiastic thumbs up!

And while it may seem like just another iconic local burger and beer joint, Charlies is a national leader.  They were one of the first in the City of Cambridge to go 100% recycling.   And now they are the first in the city to have a solar hot water system installed on their roof.

The owner Paul told me – over a $4 cheeseburger and fries that was great, as are their wings, salads, steak tips, and more (OK full disclosure, yes I am a regular, but never met Paul until today) – how he had been looking into solar for some time. Charlies heated the water they used for cooking and cleaning with electricity, the same system that heated water for its sister restaurant, The Red House, which is an up-scale restaurant offering wonderful bistro fare but also at very reasonable prices and with which Charlies shares a kitchen (there is also a seasonal outdoor beer garden too, Paul is quite the successful restaurant entrepreneur).

Roof of Charlie's Kitchen / The Red House

Through a personal contact Paul was introduced to Jonah Decola, owner of Clean and Smart a renewable energy installer based in Cambridge, MA who has done projects across the city including small wind and solar PV. After looking at the available space on the flat roof above both restaurants and calculating how much hot water both restaurants needed Jonah calculated that with a little ingenuity and the right equipment he could get Paul a 4-year return on investment (ROI) including hardware and installation.

Johan was up on the roof finalizing the installation today as I walked by on my way to Charlies for a burger – Charlies Kitchen will start getting most of their hot water heated by the sun saving the restaurant thousands each year.   Multiply Charlies by even a fraction of the estimated 592,246 restaurants in the US and what do you get?  One step closer a nation of ‘energy locovores’.

And that is what distributed generation is all about. It’s not about a utility controlled smart grid.  It’s not about New York financiers investing in multi-hundred megawatt wind farms in Kansas and Texas. It’s not about GE investing millions to market Ecomagination.

Jonah in the basement

It’s about restaurant owners, home owners, schools, churches, and community centers generating more of the power they use.  It’s about practical innovators like Jonah Decola and the thousands like him across the country finding low-cost, simple solutions that deliver results.  California already has over 20,000 solar powered homes, Wisconsin has wind farms popping up across the landscape, and installers in Florida can’t hire people fast enough to meet the demand.  We are becoming a nation of ‘energy locovores’ making the power we need where we use it without replying on the grid, and we should be proud of that and support those people and businesses in our communities that are doing their part.

So the next time you are visiting Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA and you want to get a bite to eat, for no frills and great service (Helen has been there 30+ years and counting) try out Charlie’s Kitchen.

Or if you want a great martini and a pastry stuffed with mushrooms try The Red House, Brian at the door will take care of you.  Which ever one you try you can feel good that your food was cooked with water heated by the sun, and you can feel great that you are supporting a local restaurant icon while witnessing a national leader.

(Note, no, Paul did not give me a free meal for this Post, social etiquette in the Square extends from bistro to diner, it wouldn’t be proper.)

Related posts:

1. Solar powered city in the Sunshine State

Solar Traffic Sign

Have you been dying to participate in our Greenspotting contest, but aren’t sure where to start? Having trouble spotting a source of renewable energy in your neighborhood? Many people don’t realize it but renewable energy is already playing a big part in our every day lives. Although rooftop solar installations and small wind may not be as ubiquitous as we’d like, there are still plenty of opportunities for Greenspotting – you just have to be creative about where you look!

Remember, our Greenspotting contest has been extended to run through the summer in order to give more people a chance to participate! Winners are now selected on a monthly basis so be sure to keep your eyes open while you travel this summer. Continue reading this post for some more ideas on how you can easily spot renewable energy, and how to be a greenspotter.

Did you know that many traffic and road signs are solar powered?  You may actually pass several great examples of renewable energy in use on your daily commute.

Solar Speed Sign

While you’re on the road you might want to look to see if the street lights are making use of solar energy too!

Solar Street Lights

Residents of San Francisco may have seen one of these solar powered bus stops lately:

Solar Bus Stop

If you’re walking the streets of Philadelphia, keep an eye out for these new solar trash compactors:

Solar Trash Compactor

Remember – renewable energy isn’t just reserved for the big projects! There are lots of places where clean energy is being put to good use.

Keep looking and make sure to snap a photo so you can enter our Greenspotting contest to win some great energy saving products from Black and Decker!

Related posts:

1. Greenspotting for Prizes and Fun
2. Greenspotting 101
3. Greenspotting Contest Continues

On this First Annual Build Baby Build Week I wanted to share a few images of renewable energy that I have found over the course of the past few months.energy can be seen everywhere.

100kw Turbine powering the McGlynn School in Medford, MA - "Thanks Mr. Mayor!"

This turbine powering the McGlynn School in Medford, MA is another examply of local politicians who can make a difference.  Mayor McGlynn (the school is named after his father, the former Mayor) was an enthusiastic supporter of this project.  About a month ago when visiting the site with the Mayor and a reporter for FastCompany Magazine I saw first hand the impact it has on the community.  About 50 school children were playing in the adjacent playground when a small group saw us walking around.  “Mr Mayor, Mr. Mayor, Mr. Mayor…” yelled a few from behind the small fence.  The Mayor smiled, waved, and walked over to say hello.  “What do you think of the turbine?”  the reporter asked.  “We love it.” replied the kids.  They know, said the Mayor, that it generates about 10% of the school’s electricity demand.

From turbines by the school to solar powered trash cans, Mayor McGlynn of Medord is no ordinary local politician.  To these kids, he’s a local hero.

Solar Panels on the Mass. Audubon Soc. Facility near Plumb Islan

Solar panels on the roof of the Mass. Audubon Society building in Newburyport, MA generate nearly 40% of the electricity needed for the building.  More panels are planned and visitor’s can ’sponsor a panel’ to add to the array.

Solar powering a parking lot & mall in Newburyport, MA

While picking up sandwiches at the local specialty food shop in downtown Newburyport we noticed a large ground mounted solar unit right in the parking lot and some roof mounted panels.  We learned from the store owner that the building owner was a very strong local renewable energy supporter and decided to put his money where his mouth is.  There is also a wind turbine in the town built by a local business owner to off-set his operating expenses; like many projects the turbine has supporters, and opponents in the town.  But apparently everyone who drives by now notices and admires the solar panels.

Major GE Turbine (1 of 5) cutting through the fog in Atlantic City, NJ

I was in NJ on business touring an incredible renewable energy facility.  At the Atlantic City, NJ Waste Water Treatment plant a developer has constructed five utility-scale turbines as well as building solar panels on the ground (foreground of picture, 2 more turbines can be seen in the background) and above the parking lot.  What’s most amazing about this facility is not just that it’s green energy being generated at the waste water treatment plant, but the peninsula the island sits on is just across the water from the largest coastal bird sanctuaries on the east coast.  According to the treatment plant manager no one from the ‘birding community’ has complained about bird kill, and the neighbor’s who don’t even get any power from the turbines/solar panels call it ‘our wind farm.’

Geothermal heating being installed on Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA

Walking down the street one day I noticed just another construction sign in front of a house on Brattle Street in Cambridge, MA, just outside Harvard Square.  When I looked closer I saw that the builder was installing geothermal heating for the mansion to reduce the operating expenses for the new owner.  I am not sure of the final sale price but I believe the house was listed for over $5,000,000.  Seems like renewable energy is a hit with everyone, regardless of your bank balance.

Small Wind Turbine on a farm in Martha's Vineyard, MA

On vacation at one of my favorite spots, Martha’s Vineyard, my wife grabbed this image of a small wind turbine on a farm on the south end of the island.  We couldn’t get very close because it was a private farm, but by the yellow nose cone I am guessing it’s a Bergy.

Solar panels powering a public bathroom in Menemsha, MA

On the same vacation to the Vineyard we saw a public bathroom with solar panels.  I love it when I see these types of very small, very practical applications that remove just a little bit of energy from the grid.  As with the Internet, 100 PCs doesn’t add up to much data running over the net; but when you get 100,000,000 PCs surfing the web, now you’re talking about real data.

Solar powering the Visitor's Center in Vineyard Haven, MA

On the way home from the same trip while waiting for the ferry to take us back to Cape Cod we snapped this image of solar panels on the Visitor’s Center in Vineyard Haven, MA.  There are small scale renewable energy facilities all over the island.

Solar powered auto-AC on Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA

This last image is perhaps my favorite.  I was walking down Comm. Ave. in Boston one afternoon on my way to dinner with my wife.  I saw something odd and shiny on the dashboard of a car.  When I leaned in and peeked inside the car I realized that it was a dashboard mounted solar panel powering and AC unit to keep the car cool on a hot spring day while the owner was off at a meeting or shopping.

So send us your images, tell us your story.  On this First Annual Build Baby Build week let’s see how your community is using renewable energy.  Share with us your ‘Greenspotting‘ moments.

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