solar energy systems for homes & businesses

a hands-on workshop in solar theory and installation

akumal, mexico, march 2 - 9, 2004

 

learn the theory of solar energy and how to build a solar water heater, solar panel, and solar cooker. 

you’ll learn how to build and install solar systems in your home or business -- whether in mexico, the u.s., or anywhere else in the world. 

      centro ecol�gico akumal (cea) and grupo fenix of nicaragua invite you to participate in a week-long, hands-on workshop to learn about solar energy systems.  build and install at least two solar water heaters -- one on the roof of the cea dorms and one or more on local homes.  

      the course will be taught in spanish and english by rich komp, president of the maine solar energy association, and a staff person from grupo fenix.

      the tuition has been discounted to $555 usd, and does not include lunches or transportation to and from cancun.  a three-day tuition to learn the princples of solar energy on tuesday, wednesday and friday is $300 usd.

      cosponsored by the midwest renewable energy association (www.the-mrea.org) and renew wisconsin (www.renewwisconsin.org).

 

schedule

tuesday, march 2, 2004 - theory of sunlight, how it travels across the sky, the solar spectrum, blackbody radiation, thermal physics and the basics of solar heaters, cookers, and driers.

      wednesday, march 3 - a short hands-on course in photovoltaics (solar panels). construct a small solar battery charger.

      thursday, march 4 - theory and practice of solar water heaters. start hands-on assembly of batch water heaters.

      friday, march 5 - continue assembly of water heaters.  possibly make a flat plate solar water heater collector.

      saturday, march 6 - install one of the batch type heaters on cea dorm.  start installation on a casa nearby.

      sunday, march 7 - free day to enjoy the beach, sea, tulum ruins, and area.

      monday, march 8 - finish up assemblies and installations.

      tuesday, march 9 - farewell breakfast or other farewell event.

      for more information, contact workshop organizer ed blume at ed@ceakumal.org.

activities in akumal and the riviera maya

 

      you’ll have plenty to do (or nothing at all) when you’re not in the workshop.  we’ll plan a few activities and leave plenty of time for you to enjoy akumal.

      sunning, swimming, snorkeling, diving.  the shallow, crystal-clear water and sandy beach of akumal bay define tropical perfection.  dive shops are right on the beach.  

      ruins.  the small, but stunning, tulum ruins hug the sea 10 minutes south of akumal, and the jungles hide many, many small sites that you can visit on your own or with a guide.

      restaurants.  you can go from cheap eats at a tacoria in the pueblo or gourmet dinners at restaurants overlooking the bay.

      shopping. playa del carmen, 20 minutes north of akumal, satisfies every shopping impulse!

      nature. local guides can give you exceptional walks.  cea staff give entertaining and educational presentations nightly.

      families.  the reef-protected bay and laid-back pace suit families with children of all ages.  make the workshop a vacation, too!  

 

 

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solar energy systems for homes & businesses

akumal, mexico, march 2-9, 2004

registration

___________________________________________________________________________________  

name                                                                                      

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address                                               city/state/zip

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phone (day time)                                  phone (evening)                         e-mail

 

_____ full course  - $555 usd

_____ three days - $300 usd

 

course fee is payable to: yucatan environmental foundation, the 501(c)3 non-profit u.s. foundation that supports mexican nonprofit organizations.  mail to: yucatan  environmental  foundation,  box 2116,  madison, wi  53701-2116.  charge by mastercard or visa at: www.ceakumal.org.

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      the total cost of the course includes a membership in cea and a copy of dr. komp's book practical photovotaics. 

      a $50 deposit by february 10, 2004, saves you a place in the course, which will be limited to 20 non-mexican participants.  payment in full must be made by february 20, 2004.

      all checks should be made out to the yucatan environmental foundation, the 501(c)3 non-profit u.s. foundation that supports mexican ngos, and mailed to yucatan environmental foundation, p.o. box 2116, madison, wi 53701-2116.  you can consider $100 of the tuition as a tax-deductible contribution to yef for your cea membership.

      deposits and course fees will not be refunded, but participants who pay the full fee will still receive a cea membership and dr. komp’s book, even if they can’t attend.

 

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workshop sponsors

      centro ecologico ecol�gico akumal (cea) works on saving the great mesoamerican barrier reef, only yards offshore from akumal, through the elimination of groundwater contamination.

      to achieve its mission, cea supports the use of advanced systems using natural technologies, such as solar power, composting toilets, and created wetlands.

      located 100 kilometers south of cancun, cea began in july of 1993 with a generous donation of 4 hectares of land and buildings from the yachtless akumal club de yates.  income from the properties helps support cea’s programs and projects.

      for more about cea visit the web site at www.ceakumal.org.

 

      renew wisconsin, madison, is a nonprofit organization advocating the adoption of clean energy strategies to power wisconsin businesses and households with environmentally responsible systems.  with a combination of public policy and private sector initiatives, renew aims to increase the use of clean, self-renewing energy resources to generate electricity or displace fossil-fuel generated electricity.  more about renew at www.renewwisconsin.org.

 

      grupo fenix was started in 1996 by  a group of enthusiastic engineering students and professor susan kinne at the universidad nacional de ingeneria (uni) in managua, nicaragua.  

      searching for more technical expertise for her students, professor kinne contacted richard komp, ph.d.  trained as a physical chemist, dr. komp has been a proponent of solar energy since the 1960’s and continues this passion as the president of the maine solar energy association and of his small company, sunwatt corporation.  in 1997, dr. komp agreed to give workshops in nicaragua and has become a major technical consultant for grupo fenix.  more at www.grupofenix.org.

     

      the midwest renewable energy association, a progressive nonprofit, works to create a sustainable future based on renewable energy. since 1990, the mrea has helped individuals and businesses establish locally owned, earth-friendly solar and wind systems across the country.  activities include hosting the renewable energy and sustainable living fair; workshops and hands-on training; and, developing the renew the earth institute demonstration facility in custer, wisconsin.  for more, visit  www.the-mrea.org.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-----original message-----
from: kydomeliving@aol.com [mailto:kydomeliving@aol.com]
sent: thursday, january 22, 2004 9:02 am
to: solarcooking-l@igc.topica.com
subject: re: solar space heating (was re: off topic (sort of))

 

darryl,
       thanks for your response about the solar collectors you are using. they sound like a nice design and certainly look nice. i like the idea of the serpentine airflow that they incorporate. i also like the idea of the copper sheet on the interior. although copper would probably be cost prohibitive if attempting to build my own, as most likely the first attempts will have to be reworked.
       a friend once built a rather large solar collector (for greenhouse use/aesthetics not important) using a series of shallow boxes built of plywood, full of beer cans spaced apart, painted black and covered with plexiglass. as crude as that seems, he claims it did well, as he was able to keep some 50,000 tomato plant starts, thriving through the early cold spring, to deliver to a large single buyer.
       the more i research this solar heating idea, i am convinced, it is adaptable to many uses. design, functionality and methods of construction seem widely varied.
       however i feel something along a design such as yours would be more acceptable for a home than a bunch of beer cans painted black!
       i am glad i asked this question of this group, as i have obtained many links and ideas from all of you. i guess when i labeled the post as "off topic", i wasn't too far off topic from this groups interests!
       thanks to all who have indulged me.

-charlie in ky
much wiser now!
thanks!

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