Solar power prophet spreads the good word

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

By Lucille Rice

Jackson Hole, Wyo--Renewable energy – biomass, solar, wind, tidal, hydroelectric, anything not derived from fossil or nuclear fuel – is naturally occurring and theoretically inexhaustible.

According to Andy Tyson, co-founder of Creative Energies in Lander, Wyo., we are foolish not to be using renewable energy sources, so bountiful in the state of Wyoming. On Monday he will tell us why.

Kicking off the Murie Center’s ninth annual Spring Earth Festival and initiating the first phase of the Teton County Library’s commitment to using renewable energy sources, Tyson will share his wealth of knowledge on solar electric power during a public forum on Monday at the library.

Many valley residents have made the switch to solar power, and the library hopes to promote the trend further by taking the same step, setting an example for the community.

By adding 40 solar electric panels to its power generating system every year for five years, the library hopes to generate 25-30 percent of its energy from the sun. The project is an effort to educate the public on the benefits of solar energy and is funded by the Library Foundation, Lower Valley Energy, the Wyoming Business Council and Teton County.

The installation of the first 40 solar panels, slated for late May or early June, is estimated to prevent 15,942 pounds of carbon dioxide, a harmful greenhouse gas, from being emitted into the atmosphere.

As part of the demonstration project, a computer that monitors the energy output of the solar panels and other statistics will be available to the public, providing in depth information on the technology and its benefits.

As a partner in Creative Energies, a consulting company that designs, sells, and installs solar, wind and geothermal systems, Tyson is the poster child of renewable energy. He brings his work principles home where solar electric panels generate 50-75 percent of his power.  

Tyson estimates that approximately 50 households and businesses in the area he services have committed themselves to solar energy, if only partially. The cost of the technology is the only thing that restricts folks from taking the full plunge and getting completely off the power grid.

The initial cost of installing the solar panels and the wiring necessary to make them functional ranges from $12,000 to $50,000. Although it is certainly not the cheapest option, Tyson compares going solar to buying organic groceries: A little goes a long way, it is healthier in the long run, and the environment will benefit from it.

But soon enough, Tyson said, it will no longer be a choice. The sources that we depend on now to fuel our homes, vehicles, and businesses, such as coal, will eventually be depleted and we will be forced to use renewable sources of energy.

Some states and countries have been looking ahead and are committed to solar energy. Japan and Germany lead the world in solar panel purchases, with the United States trailing behind in third. Federal incentives for using renewable energy sources to fuel businesses and private residences include tax credits and write-offs.

States like California, Colorado, New Jersey and Pennsylvania have also incentivized energy efficiency. Although Wyoming is not on the forefront of the movement, programs within the Cowboy State such as the Wyoming Business Council’s $3,000 grant for residential solar systems are becoming more popular.

The work of Creative Energies and the library’s solar power initiative are testimonials to Tyson’s observation that the demand for renewable energy sources has increased over the past few decades. Education and the spread of awareness are the best tools that the prophets of alternative energy sources can use. That and time, waiting for there to be no other option.   

Tyson will tell more starting at 7 p.m. on Monday in the library’s Ordway Auditorium. Admission is free, but space is limited. For more details about the talk or about the Spring Earth Fest, call the Murie Center at 739-2264. To learn more about Tyson’s Creative Energies, visit http://www.cesolar.com

Courtesy photo. Creative Energies cofounder Andy Tyson installs solar panels at Grand Targhee Resort.

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Solar power prophet spreads the good word | Planet JH News Article: General Environment

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