groSolar and Yestermorrow Partner to Provide Solar Seminars

Yestermorrow Design/Build School and groSolar are pleased to announce a new partnership to educate Vermont property owners about solar power systems. groSolar recently installed a solar hot water system (SHW) on the campus headquarters, as part of Yestermorrow’s campus master plan to implement and promote renewable energy systems and transition from fossil fuel use. The educational partnership is now part of Yestermorrow’s educational mission to demystify sustainable design and renewable energy.

Beginning in March 2010, Yestermorrow will host free “Solar Made Simple” educational seminars for the general public, to be held on the first Thursday of every month at the school’s Waitsfield campus on Route 100. The seminars, led by groSolar representatives, will provide an overview of solar power, including a review of Yestermorrow’s solar system and tips on how state grants and federal tax credits can help pay for a system. The seminars will also cover guidelines for assessing whether a home or business is right for solar, along with a preview of the long-term savings in utility costs property owners can expect from solar.

Upcoming seminars will be held from 6:00-7:00pm on March 4, April 8, May 6 and continuing throughout the year on the first Thursday of each month.

Interested homeowners are encouraged to bring a copy of recent utility bills as well as photographs of their properties if interested in discussing solar in more detail with groSolar representatives.

“groSolar treats most of our marketing outreach as education, so this is a great partnership,” said Gaelan Brown, Vice President of Marketing for groSolar. “groSolar is a big supporter of Yestermorrow’s mission, and we’re thrilled to help bring solar power to their operations and community outreach.”

groSolar recently completed the installation of a solar hot water system at the Yestermorrow Design/Build School’s campus. The system provides hot water for use in the kitchen, showers, and sinks for the School, which hosts over 1,000 students each year from around the country. The system is designed to provide an average of 150 gallons per day of hot water, with a storage capacity of 240 gallons. The panels are estimated to produce 100,000 BTUs per day, saving more than 400 gallons of propane per year and reducing Yestermorrow’s fossil fuel use by approximately ten percent.

”Yestermorrow is pleased to have this opportunity to partner with groSolar to help people understand their energy options in solar power. Solar systems are a clean, sustainable energy solution to reduce fossil fuel use, and an investment in solar is one of the wisest energy decisions people can make for the long term,” said Kate Stephenson, Yestermorrow’s Executive Director. “Domestic hot water is the second highest energy cost in a typical household. A solar hot water system can provide enough energy to meet 70% of a home’s annual hot water needs, even in cold climates.”

Yestermorrow’s solar hot water system was funded in part by a Vermont Community Climate Change grant.

The Yestermorrow campus is open to visitors seven days a week and free tours of the solar hot water system are available with advance reservation (call 802-496-5545).