Rooftop Solar Talk Scheduled At Library

If you are considering the idea of solar panels for your house or yard, you’ll want to check out Rooftop Solar 101, a free public talk at the Salt Spring Public Library program room on Tuesday, February 21. The speaker, Simon Wheeler, is a local resident and member of the Salt Spring Community Energy Group, cosponsor of the event along with Transition Salt Spring and the Salt Spring Public Library.

Wheeler is a retired pilot who followed his first career with a degree in Renewable Energy at the University of Reading.  He has since worked for Solar Century in England, and spent three years as technical manager in the field of solar concentration arrays.  Since moving to Salt Spring in 2010 he has been active in promoting solar energy and electric vehicles.

The presentation will address steps you might take before looking at home solar energy, and then cover the basics of both solar heating and solar photovoltaic systems – how they work, whether they are cost effective for you, and how to get started on solar for your energy needs. Wheeler will cover the issues of solar gain analysis for your house and yard, as well as installation, system options, and recent trends in the solar industry.

Home Solar PV is now on the margin of cost-effective investments, and with BC Hydro’s plans to continue raising our electricity rates, as well as invest in costly mega-projects such as Site C Dam in order to supply fossil fuel extractive industries; it is well worth considering the option of rooftop solar. Salt Spring homeowners who have installed solar PV systems will be on hand to tell about their experiences.

The event starts at 7:00 PM and is open to the public.