STEWART COMMUNITY CENTER AND HEAD START BUILDINGS GET SOLARIZED

Black Rock Solar tribal apprenticeship program graduates new members

Black Rock Solar completed work last week on two new arrays for the Washoe Tribe of Nevada.  The 14 kW roof-top arrays will provide electricity for the Stewart Community Center, where community members attend meetings and cultural events, and to the Head Start building, where educational programs and support services are provided for tribal youth.

These are Black Rock Solar’s third and fourth projects for the Washoe Tribe, and we’re proud to have worked with members of the tribe to provide hands-on job training and classroom education in photovoltaic systems.

Rupert Powers, Freddy Pete, and Norman Fillmore of the Washoe Tribe stand on top of the Stewart Community Center

These two installations were supervised by Dave Lasky, one of Nevada’s most recent NABCEP certified solar installers, a distinction held by only 22 people in the entire state.  We’re awfully proud to have Dave on our team, be sure to shake his hand next time you see him.

Dave Lasky, NABCEP Certified Professional

Posted by Marnee Benson

CONSTRUCTION COMPLETE AT WESTERN NEVADA COLLEGE

200 kW array is largest ever for Black Rock Solar and first on WNC campus

Western Nevada College has a sparkling new solar array, completed just last week.   The 200 kW array is the largest ever built by BRS and will save the school about $28,000 in the first year alone.

200 kW at WNC

The college, located in Nevada’s capitol, Carson City, helps students prepare for careers in dozens of fields including Construction Management and Engineering Science.  Included in the Spring 2012 course offerings is Introduction to Alternative Energy where students will be able to study data from the new array to determine output, savings, and seasonal variations.

Founding crew member Eli Lyons puts on the finishing touches at WNC

We welcomed several awesome new crew members to this project, including a second Eli.

Eli Smith, werkin it

Western Nevada College has been a terrific partner on this project, and we’re already looking forward to our next collaboration in summer 2012.

Posted by Marnee Benson

INTRODUCTION TO PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEMS

A Two-Day Introductory Course

This course will be of interest to those new to the solar industry as well as general and electrical contractors, business professionals and consultants, architects and engineers, who would like to branch out into the solar field.

The State of Nevada requires any persons directly engaged with the electrical connection and wiring of a photovoltaic system project to have the Nevada OSHA Photovoltaic Installer’s License.

DATES:   December 15th and 16th, 2011

TIME: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm each day

PLACE:   Construction Training Center 240 S. Rock Blvd., Suite 119 Reno, NV 89502

COST: $200 + $70 text book payable at the beginning of the first class session by check only.

REQUIRED TEXTBOOK: Photovoltaic Systems 2nd Edition by: James P. Dunlop will be provided.

RSVP BY December 7th and take $50 off the cost of enrollment

Course Description: In this course students develop knowledge of solar-electric (photovoltaic, or “PV”) systems and their applications, as well as many of the key basics for designing, installing, and maintaining them. .  PV (and other kinds of solar) technologies are introduced, along with current trends in the industry and relevant issues of policy and economics.   The solar resource, and costs and benefits of PV for tapping it, will be explored, along with the workings of all typical PV components and how they are put together into whole systems.  Best practices for safety are emphasized throughout, including the use of protective equipment and ways to avoid accidents and minimize workplace hazards.

Students will learn the fundamentals of electricity and solar energy, including how to  calculate simple circuit values and predict solar position using a variety of tools and techniques.  These concepts are then applied to all the considerations needed in site evaluation, including load analysis (for characterizing electrical demand) as well as decisions among several types of PV system configurations and mountings.  System sizing and the mechanical and electrical integration for both stand-alone and grid-interactive PV installations are covered.  Performance analysis and issues, along with techniques for troubleshooting, are also important parts of this material.

Instructor: Joe Jordan teaches solar and renewable energy courses at Cabrillo College. He serves on the Advisory Board of Solar Energy International, the Board of Directors of Ecology Action of Santa Cruz, and formerly on the Santa Cruz City Energy Working Group and Public Works Commission.

* SPACE IS LIMITED *

Please respond no later than Wednesday, December 14

Holly Canon Administrative Assistant Black Rock Solar holly@blackrocksolar.org 775-237-8669

Last week one of our favorite non-profit partners, the C*A*R*E* Chest of Sierra Nevada, held a dedication event for their new solar array installed by Black Rock Solar earlier this year. What a shindig!

The C*A*R*E* Chest Array

The sunny afternoon began with remarks and a ribbon cutting by C*A*R*E* Chest Executive Director Patti Meals, NV Energy Program Manager John Hargrove, and our own Deputy Director Marnee Benson. Lots of folks were in attendance including the C*A*R*E* Chest Board of Directors, and Black Rock Solar crew, who were much appreciated for all their hard work last winter.

Spoon at work

The C*A*R*E* Chest prepared a surprise gift for Black Rock Solar- a collage of photos from the solar build. We’ve never received such a gift, and the poster is now featured prominently in our Reno office.

With a champagne toast, the array was officially dedicated, and guests were invited to stay for a gourmet dinner buffet and reception. Our crew autographed the inside wall of the warehouse and remembered how one of our own received free crutches and other medical equipment when she was injured while recreating one weekend during construction of this array.

Chris Jenson of the C*A*R*E* Chest offers champagne

We want to thank the C*A*R*E* Chest for the opportunity to work with them on this project, and for the services they provide our community. Cheers!

Posted by Marnee Benson