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Projects Updates for key objective: 3.2 Expand On-Campus Solar Energy Production

  1. Solar Urbana-Champaign

    From: Marta Monti <marta@midwestrenew.org>
    Sent: Tuesday, August 02, 2022 4:34 PM
    To: White, Morgan <mbwhite at illinois.edu>
    Subject: Solar Urbana-Champaign is back!

     

    Alternate text

     

     

    Solar Urbana Champaign is back for 2022

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    2022 marks the seventh year for the Solar Urbana Champaign program. Since 2016, this non-profit-led program has educated 1,292 people about their solar opportunities with our Solar Power Hours presentations, and of those folks, 242 properties decided to go solar.

     

    In partnership with our competitively-selected installer, GRNE Solar, and with support from the Citizens Utility Board (CUB), the City of Urbana, and our growing partners, we're excited to help central Illinois residents go solar and save on their energy costs!   

     

     

    Find us online:

     

     

     

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    First Benchmark Reached!

     

    Our group buy program uses the power of bulk purchasing to create an economy of scale: the more people who participate, the larger the savings become! This year's program has already passed the first 50 kilowatt benchmark, meaning that participants can look forward to additional savings. Join today and share with friends so we can achieve lower costs for everyone!

     

    Please help spread the word:

     

    Please share the program website or this email with your friends and neighbors or post it on your social media pages.

     

    Remember: the more people that go solar through the Solar Urbana Champaign program, the lower the cost for all!

     

     

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    Pull out your yard sign, it's Grow Solar season!

     

    Not sure where it went? No worries, it's been a while. Let us know where to drop it off and we will get you a new one. 

     

     

    - UPCOMING SOLAR POWER HOURS -

    Share this schedule with a friend and invite them to start their solar journey with you!

     

    8/11, Thursday: Solar Power Hour, 6:00-7:00 p.m. at Papa Del’s Pizza Factory, 1201 S Neil St, Champaign, IL

    8/17, Wednesday: Solar Power Hour, 6:00-7:00 p.m. at Danville Public Library, 319 N Vermilion St, Danville, IL

    8/26, Friday: Solar Power Hour, 6:00-7:00 p.m. at Big Thorn Farm & Brewery, 14274 600 North Rd, Georgetown, IL – co-hosted by Big Thorn Farm & Brewery

    8/31, Wednesday: Solar Power Hour, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. on Zoom (click to register)

     

    — BROUGHT TO YOU BY —

     

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    Questions?

    Throughout the program, if you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please let me know. I can be reached at marta@midwestrenew.org.

    Sincerely,

    Marta Monti

    MREA Solar Program Manager

    Midwest Renewable Energy Assn (MREA) 

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    The Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA) promotes renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable living through education and demonstration. To learn more about our work, visit midwestrenew.org

     

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  2. Illinois Solar Renewables Resources

    Associated Project(s): 

    For Homeowners:

    Citizens Utility Board (Community Solar) - https://www.citizensutilityboard.org/solar-in-the-community/

    EnergySage - https://www.energysage.com/

    Google Sunroof - https://sunroof.withgoogle.com/

    IL Solar Energy Association (IL Solar Ambassadors and vendor lists) - https://www.illinoissolar.org/

     

    For specialized organizations:

    Midwest Renewable Energy Association - https://www.midwestrenew.org/

    Clean Energy Buyers Association - https://cebuyers.org/

    Elevate - https://www.elevatenp.org/

     

    Government:

    City of Chicago - https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/progs/env/solar_in_chicago.html

    Cook County - https://www.cookcountyil.gov/service/solar-energy

    Illinois Solar for All (Community Solar) - https://www.illinoissfa.com/

    Illinois Shines - https://illinoisshines.com/

    EPA (Solar Resources) - https://www.epa.gov/statelocalenergy/local-renewable-energy-solar

     

  3. Solar Sites Open House

    UIUC SOLAR SITES OPEN HOUSE - October 15, 1:00-2:30 pm

    Ever wonder how far the university has come in solar energy use? Come out to the UIUC Solar Sites Open House hosted on Topia, an interactive online platform, to learn about different buildings and areas across campus that are producing solar energy! During the Open House, Morgan White will provide a guided tour to virtually visit ten locations on campus. Learn more about the amazing solar installations on campus!

    This event will take place online from 1:00 to 2:30 p.m. on Friday, October 15, 2021, at https://topia.io/uiuc-solar-sites.*

    *Chrome browser on desktop or laptop required.

  4. Table Installed and Inspected, Waiting on Solar Panel Installation

    A Belson recycled picnic table was installed and inspected.

    The solar panels for the table are yet to be installed.

     

    Pictures of the table are attached below.

    The email regarding this event is also attached below.

  5. Visiting Mechanical Engineering Building for PV Glass

    From: Yi, Yun Kyu

    To: McFall, D

    Cc: White, Morgan

    Recipients: dmcfall at illinois.edu; mbwhite at illinois.edu

     

    Hi Damon,

     

    It was good to meet you today.

    Just to follow up with you about visiting the Mech. Building. I am wondering in general Tuesday between 2-5 pm works for your schedule.

    My class is in between this time and it will be great for students to see some of the new technologies.

    If you can let me know if Tuesday afternoon is something that works for your schedule, I will talk with my student to set possible dates to visit.

     

    Many thanks

    Yun

     

    Yun Kyu Yi, PhD

    Assistant Professor

    School of Architecture, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

    M232 Temple Buell Hall, 611 E Lorado Taft Drive, MC-621, Champaign, IL 61820

    phone: (217) 300-4886 | fax: (217) 244-2900 |

     

    Founder and Lead Investigator,

    The Responsive Architecture Lab (RAL) at the Illinois School of Architecture, 20a Architecture Building, 608 East Lorado Taft Drive, MC-621, Champaign, IL 61820 https://go.illinois.edu/ral

     

  6. June Tour at Allerton Park & Retreat Center

    For June, CCNet has arranged and sponsored a tour at Allerton Park & Retreat Center. This tour will take place on Friday, June 25th at 3:00 PM CDT. As mentioned in their monthly newsletter: 

     

    Tour at Allerton & Food at 3 Ravens

    Date: Friday, June 25th at 3:00 PM CDT
    Location:
    Allerton Park & Retreat Center (515 Old Timber Road, Monticello, IL 61856) &
    3 Ravens (108 South Charter, Monticello, IL 61856)

    Join us on a tour of Allerton!

    We will be meeting near the outside patio of Greenhouse Cafe at Allerton Park & Retreat Center. During this tour, Derek Peterson, the Director of Allerton, will show us clean energy installations at the center and we will visit the compost toilet funded by the Student Sustainability Committee. The Clivus Multrum compost toilet system is installed at the park’s Schroth Trailhead, providing park volunteers, trail-hikers, and other visitors the ability to use the restroom in an environmentally sustainable and convenient manner without needing to travel all the way to the Visitor Center to do so.

    Afterward, all are more than welcome to continue your visit to Allerton or join us for a quick bite at 3 Ravens in Monticello, IL!

    Please note that coordinated transportation will not be provided for this event. If you would like to drive to the event, parking is available at multiple locations around the park.

    Learn More About Planning Your Visit (Parking & Accessibility)

  7. suggestion for servicing solar arrays

    Associated Project(s): 

    Perhaps there should be a standard developed for solar on buildings with monitoring and connectivity requirements. trouble shooting issues could go to a service contract to handle or there could be a work order for the F&S electricians. We should certainly train the campus electricians on everything that needs to happen for maintaining solar systems, or get a standing service contract.

  8. Welcome Note for Earth Day Solar Open House

    Happy Earth Day, 2021!!! 

    Welcome to the UIUC Solar Sites Open House!

    • Nine campus solar power installations are available to visit at this virtual open house.
    • Contact people for each site are standing on the yellow stars by their facility, on Earth Day from 9-10:30 AM.
    • There are also links for further information about each solar site.

    Hints for Using Topia

    • Zoom out on your browser to see more of the campus at once.
    • Click on a destination to move your avatar to that site, or use the arrow keys to navigate
    • Send messages in Topia to people you meet here, with the mailbox icons.

    ***MAKE SURE TO USE GOOGLE CHROME AS YOUR BROWSER*** 

    Invitation - Open to All

    Ever wonder how far the university has come in solar energy use? Come out to the UIUC Solar Sites Open House hosted on Topia, an interactive online platform, to learn about different buildings and areas across campus that are producing solar energy! During the Open House, contacts for each location will be available to answer questions about the solar installations at nine locations. Learn more about the amazing solar installations on campus!

    This event will take place online from 9-10:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 22 (Earth Day!), at https://topia.io/uiuc-solar-sites.*

    ***MAKE SURE TO USE GOOGLE CHROME AS YOUR BROWSER*** 

    Attached Files: 
  9. News-Gazette mailbag note about MEB solar

    Associated Project(s): 

    South facade at Lu building  "At the new Sidney Lu Mechanical Engineering Building at the northwest corner of Green and Goodwin, Urbana, the south façade has an intriguing glass — perhaps with embedded solar panels or something like that? What is the product, and what is it's purpose?"

    Your answer comes from engineer Damon McFall, director of facilities and operations in Mechanical Science & Enegineering.

    "The embedded solar panels are referred to as building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) panels. This approach utilized on a larger scale can help contribute to the societal goal of achieving net-positive facilities or buildings that produce more energy than they consume," said McFall. "The use of BIPV panels on the Sidney Lu Mechanical Engineering Building will serve as an educational tool for students and faculty to understand the benefits and challenges of integrating solar into the façade of a facility.

    "A core imperative for the building was to be a leader in innovation. Thus, the idea to include BIPV was supported by Mechanical Science and Engineering Professor Ty Newell. The project is a first on campus and possibly the only installation of its kind nationally. The state-of-the-art panels have already provided research opportunities to designers, builders, and others.

    "The goal is for students, community members, and guests to learn more about BIPV in campus, commercial, and government facilities and pursue building design and construction that meets the International Living Future Institute’s Living Building and Community Challenges (Living-Future.org). Once the facility opens this summer, tours will be offered where the public can learn more about the technology."

    https://www.news-gazette.com/toms-mailbag/toms-mailbag-feb-12-2021/artic...

  10. Local Solar projects shared at CCNet brownbag

    CCNet hosted several local solar panelists in January 2021. This Zoom meeting was also shared via Facebook Live:

    https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=429039901765435&ref=watch_permalink

    Join the CCNet mailing list to gain access to the Zoom and stay connected. http://eepurl.com/g8IM

    (video link corrected on 2-2-2021)

  11. Andrew Li will be getting an update for the small scale solar projects

    Associated Project(s): 

    Andrew Li, Halie Collins, and Morgan White met today to launch a student-led project to get an update for all the small scale solar projects on campus.  Andrew will be reaching out to the project contacts over the next few months to get a status update and associated photos, links, etc. for each project.  He will then update the iCAP Portal accordingly.

  12. Sustainable Issues and Opportunities for Handling End-of-Life PV Modules

    According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, solar power is the fastest-growing energy source in the U.S. and this growth will continue to rise. At the moment, only a few states have adopted solar PV end-of-life handling policies. Thus, a lot of modules may end up in landfills. The panel discussion will be on barriers, policies, and sustainable opportunities for end-of-life PV modules.

    Sustainable Issues and Opportunities for Handling End-of-Life PV Modules

    October 22, 9:30–11 am

    Jennifer Martin • Illinois Sustainable Technology Center

    baseline_wifi_black_18dp.png This opportunity is available online.

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