Thursday, February 24, 2011

Going Solar Electric

A few months ago the library director sent me a link to a news story about Terry Carruthers from Long Hill, who built a "solar suitcase" for a school library in Tanzania. Thanks to the mini generator, donated by the Basking Ridge nonprofit SHARE, the children at Kangabusharo Primary School will have enough light to read by in the rainy months.


We thought it would be interesting to have Mr. Carruthers, who owns Creative Energy in Millington, come to BHPL in case anyone is interested in going solar here in New Jersey. He'll be here this Saturday, February 26 at 2 p.m. to talk about residential solar electric systems, the installation process and the incentives you can get for going solar in New Jersey. Terry Carruthers is LEED and BPI certified. You can sign up for this program online.

Solar energy is also the theme of this month's book display at BHPL. Two of my favorites: 50 Green Projects for the Evil Genius by Jamil Shariff (pictured above) and Got Sun? Go Solar : Harness Nature's Free Energy to Heat and Power Your Grid-Tied Home by Rex Ewing and Doug Pratt.

By the way, how cool it would be if BHPL were powered partly by solar energy? Especialy because Bell Labs (of Murray Hill, so New Providence and Berkeley Heights can both claim the honor) invented the silicon solar cell.

1 comment:

Envirogreen Technologies said...

We must make sure we have the necessary safeguards in place so we don't harm the environment, while trying to save it. Solar seems the safest as wind needs to come up with a design or method of keeping bats and birds away from the turbines. I know this will all get worked out in the end, we just need to make sure it doesn't get left out.