Tag Archives: Nebraskans for Solar

Plugging in for an electric road trip

By Jason Kuiper, The Wire, OPPD Blog

OPPD customer Syed Ali decided to document his trip from Omaha to Princeton, N.J. The
reason was simple. His friends, especially those in the electric car community, liked the photos he took of his Chevrolet Bolt.

So Ali, a data scientist who serves as chief statistician for Analytics Led Intelligence, took photos in Des Moines, Chicago, Pittsburgh and every single charging station along the way. From car dealerships to Walmarts and hotels, Ali documented it all. Continue reading here.

Photo Credit: OPPD

Note: Syed Ali is President-Elect of Nebraskans for Solar and will become President on
January 1, 2019. Our nonprofit organization has the board governance structure of President, President-Elect and Past President. Our current President is Michael Shonka, owner of Solar Heat & Electric, and Past President, Jared Friesen, Renewable Energy Specialist at Morrissey Engineering, Inc. Ali and his wife, Shama, are currently installing a 6-kilowatt PV system to charge their electric vehicles and to provide renewable energy for their home. They plan to add a Tesla Powerwall to their system.

About Jason Kuiper
Jason Kuiper joined OPPD as a communications specialist in 2015. He formerly worked as a staff writer and reporter at the Omaha World-Herald.
View all posts by Jason Kuiper.

OPPD’S ELECTRIC VEHICLE REBATE PILOT PROGRAM

OPPD is offering rebates in order to build an electric grid for the future and an infrastructure that will handle increases in EV charging. By participating, you’ll be helping OPPD gauge where people are charging their EVs and how much energy is being used to do it.

  • $500 Rebate On ChargePoint Home Charging Station
  • Dealership Discounts
    Incentive Requirements
    $3,000 incentive towards a 2018 Nissan Leaf purchased between June 4, 2018 &
    January 2, 2019
    $1,000 incentive towards a 2019 Audi e-tron
    Available to all OPPD customers
  • (Up To) $7,500 Federal Tax Incentive
    Federal tax incentives     currently remain available. OPPD recommends that you speak to your tax advisor for specific details.

Click here for more information on how to take advantage of these incentives while they last.

YouTube Video: “Tim Burke, President & CEO of OPPD – Nebraska Sierra Club Presentation”

For those of you who missed Tim Burke’s presentation and Q&A last night at First United Methodist Church of Omaha, Nebraska Sierra Club Chair David Corbin has provided the link to the entire presentation.

The event was organized and sponsored by the Nebraska Chapter Sierra Club and co-sponsored by Green Bellevue and Nebraskans for Solar.

Videograher: Michael Mierendorf

RE100 Members Increase Renewable Energy By 41% As Initiative Spreads Around The Globe

By Joshua S. Hill, CleanTechnica

The RE100 initiative, led by The Climate Group in partnership with CDP, has grown leaps and bounds in recent years, and in 2018 — amidst the starkest warning yet from scientists of the dangers of climate change and unchecked global warming — RE100 added 37 new companies, bringing the total up to 155 companies creating demand for a phenomenal 188 terawatt-hours of renewable power each year — equivalent to the 23rd largest country in the world.
Read more here.

Photo Credit: IKEA

MORE CORPORATE NEWS

NEWS FROM OTHER STATES

Seven steps to community solar

By John Weaver, PV Magazine

Nationwide, over 220 utilities offer community solar programs across 36 states, and a growing number of rural electric cooperatives, municipal utilities, and investor owned utilities are exploring or implementing community solar program offerings. Currently there is only around  1 GW of community solar installed, but some see a path toward 84 GW by 2030.

To assist in reaching this ambitious goal, Vote Solar and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC) have released their Checklist for Voluntary Utility-Led Community Solar Programs. The document divides its advice into seven sections: Continue reading here.

IREC Photo

How Much Power is 1 Gigawatt?, U.S. Department of Energy

UPCOMING WEBINAR

IREC and Vote Solar will host a joint webinar on Wednesday, November 28, 2018 at 12pm Central Time to discuss the recently-released Checklist for Voluntary Utility-Led Community Solar Programs and other shared renewables tools, including IREC’s National Shared Renewables Scorecard and Shared Renewables Policy Catalog. To register, click HERE.


About IREC
The Interstate Renewable Energy Council increases access to sustainable energy and energy efficiency through independent, fact-based policy leadership, quality workforce development and consumer empowerment. A not-for-profit organization since 1982, IREC’s state-by-state work and national leadership make clean energy possible and reliable, including for low- to moderate-income customers and underserved communities. Learn more at www.irecusa.org

About Vote Solar
Since 2002, Vote Solar has been working to lower solar costs and expand solar access. A 501(c)3 non-profit organization, Vote Solar advocates for state policies and programs needed to repower our electric grid with clean energy. Learn more at www.votesolar.org

Electric car and bicycle show draws admirers

Written by Nancy Gaarder, Omaha World-Herald

The license plates were the first sign that this car show was a bit different. “4GET OIL” “GAS LOL” and “LOVE EV2”. An electric car — and bicycle — show on the campus of Creighton University on Sunday drew a steady flow of viewers. For the most part, it seemed like any other car show: Proud owners chatting with admiring, even envious spectators. Continue reading here.

RELATED READING AND VIEWING

Electric cars make stop at Creighton University, by Steve Saunders, Fox 42 KPTM

OMAHA, Neb. (FOX42KPTM — Dead silence almost makes it hard to believe Ken Deffenbacher’s car is even on. “The maintenance is very low,” he said, “virtually non-existent.” That’s just one of the many reasons why Deffenbacher says he got the all-electric Chevy Bolt. He had his $37,000 car on display at Creighton Sunday. It was all part of the fifth annual National Drive Electric week. Read more here.

Fox 42 KPTM Photo: Nebraskans for Solar board member Ken Deffenbacher and KPTM reporter Steve Saunders

Top Photo: Nebraskans for Solar Board member Jared Friesen shown charging his new Nissan LEAF with the solar generators NFS was able to purchase and lend to schools and other nonprofit groups for public events–thanks to a grant from the Omaha Venture Group.
Credit: David Corbin, Nebraskans for Solar Board member and Nebraska Sierra Club Executive Committee Chair

Click here to view all of David’s photos of the event.
The National Drive Electric Week-Omaha event at Creighton University was sponsored by Nebraska Sierra Club and co-sponsored by Nebraskans for Solar and OPPD. National sponsors – Plug In America, Sierra Club, Electric Auto Association and Nissan LEAF. 

OPPD LINKS  

Myth or fact? Electric vehicles

Oglala Lakota lands could host 110 MW-AC of solar

By William Driscoll, PV Magazine

Native American lands have an estimated 61 gigawatts of
economic solar potential.

Oglala Lakota lands could host 110 MW-AC of solar

Nebraska Winnebago Tribe Is Developing Their Renewable Energy Resources

Tour The Winnebago Tribe’s New Solar Farm And More Renewable Energy Sites
Saturday, August 11th from 11 am to 3 pm or for as long as you want to stay.

Bring your family, a picnic lunch and lawn chairs and join Nebraskans for Solar and Tour Host Robert Byrnes for this unique educational opportunity. Click here for details.

Recommended Reading

Nebraska tribe becomes a solar power leader on the Plains

“We’ve had 100 tribes visit our community,” [Ann Marie Bledsoe-Downes, vice president for community impact and engagement of Ho-Chunk Inc] said. “We talk about many subjects with these leaders. We spend substantial time on our renewable-energy effort. Other tribes say, ‘Let’s do what Winnebago is doing.’ It resonates with people that we are taking control over our own resources.”

Many thanks to our Green Watts for Good supporters during Omaha Gives!

Forty-two contributors generously donated $3,172 to our Green Watts for Good Fundraising Campaign! At midnight that put us halfway to our goal of raising sufficient funds for a second 4-kilowatt (4000 watts) photovoltaic (PV) system!

Additional Contributions

  • A generous donation today of $1,000 from the Nebraska Solar Energy Society brings the total amount raised toward the second PV system to $4,172!
  • NFS also has received pledges from two Nebraska solar energy businesses to donate solar panels for Green Watts for Good projects!

Next Steps 

  • We will use all Green Watts for Good donations to date to leverage matching contributions from local foundations, businesses and individual philanthropists.
  • We will also work with our partnering nonprofit to finalize plans to install the first 4-kilowatt photovoltaic (PV) system on an Omaha home using the generous donation to our Green Watts for Good Fund made by two local philanthropists on Earth Day.
  • Organize a “barn-raising” type effort to install the PV system. NFS board members, who include three solar professionals and four with rooftop solar, and other volunteers will “raise” the solar panels, which come with a manufacturer’s warranty to last 25 years.
  • Celebrate.

Nebraskans for Solar is an all-volunteer nonprofit, and so 100% of all donations go to support our Green Watts for Good Initiative.

Our long-term goal is to create a revolving loan fund to enable homeowners to purchase PV systems and to save money over many years.

If your ecology or sustainability club, faith group, foundation, business or other organization would like to sponsor a solar system for a family in your community, please send us an email: nebraskansforsolar@gmail.com

Thank you from all of us at Nebraskans for Solar!

Photo: Washington State Habitat for Humanity volunteers celebrating a job well done.

Omaha Gives’ Sixth Annual Charitable Challenge

May 1 – May 23

Click logo to link to Nebraskans for Solar’s Green Watts for Good Campaign.

Omaha Gives’ 6th annual 24-hour charitable challenge presented by American National Bank is set for May 23, 2018. The giving begins at midnight with a minimum $10 donation and hourly drawings and prizes that make your donations go further.

There are three ways to give:

  • Schedule donations at Omaha Gives.Org May 1-May 22, and they will be processed on May 23

  • Make your donation on May 23 from 12:00 am through 12:00 am May 24

  •  Or do both!

Nebraskans for Solar’s Green Watts for Good Campaign

Green Watts for Good Flyer
Please share widely with family and friends!

Morrissey Engineering takes diligent approach to “being green”

By Kevin Warneke, Omaha World-Herald

Morrissey Engineering takes sustainability seriously, said founding principal George
Morrissey . . .  “When we decided to build new in 2008, we knew that sustainability had to be featured throughout the building,” Morrissey said. The return on that investment came when the company earned platinum, or top, certification for its environmental performance from the U.S. Green Building Council. Read the entire article here.

See Also: 

Jared Friesen, Renewable Energy Specialist and Electrical Project Manager at Morrissey Engineering, is a Nebraskans for Solar board member and the organization’s immediate past president.

Free Microgrid Knowledge Newsletter & Additional Resources

Microgrid Knowledge provides news and resources on microgrids and distributed energy resources. Their audience includes energy businesses, organizations and policymakers, along with customers who use microgrids and distributed energy — or are considering doing so.

Visit their website to explore articles and white papers. Subscribe to their free Microgrid Knowledge Newsletter.

Additional  Resources Include

Photo by Brent Pernak: Solar canopy installation is well underway at the Public Safety Headquarters in Gaithersburg, Maryland. The project broke ground in July 2017, and completion is expected by winter 2018.
Source: Microgrid to Ensure ‘Resiliency’ for Emergency Services. The Town Courier Gaithersburg