The Solar Reflector      
    Newsletter of the Texas Solar Energy Society - August 2017        
  

We need your support to promote energy efficiency and clean, renewable solar power in Texas.  


Texas Solar Events on the Horizon 

There are a wealth of solar tours in the next few months. Find one near you and learn from the installers & owners on how to commit to clean renewable solar power.

  Brenham,  Sept.9

 Oak Hill,  Sept 30

  Dallas area, Oct.7 

  Tentatively Cypress   
  Oct.  28

  Roosevelt Park, Nov.4 

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ASES Solar 2017 
Oct. 9-12
&
Solar Decathlon  2017
Oct. 5-15

American Solar Energy Society's 
Solar 2017  will be held in conjunction with the 
DOE Solar Decathlon 2017 in Denver.This is a perfect paring of solar events in The Mile High City.
Our Chapters
Around the State
We have chapters in 
-  all working to promote the value and adoption of clean, sustainable solar power.Our  calendar lists more 
events around the state and the nation.
We are a chapter of the American Solar Energy Society
ASES  has been shining a light on the solution since 1954. Become a member of ASES and receive Solar Today Magazine and more!

Thank you EarthShare Texas for your support

We are fortunate to be one of 40 environmental organizations under the EarthShare Texas umbrella . ESTx raises money through workplace giving, H-E-B's April tear pad campaign and Reliant Energy EcoShare.
Chair's Corner
DJ Rosebaugh
 
Welcome to the summer 2017 edition of the TXSES Solar Reflector. In this Chair's Corner, I want to express how proud I am of our volunteers who keep this organization thriving. Their work led to another successful Cool House Tour in Austin, and we are looking forward to September's Bluebonnet and Hill Country Solar Tours, October's DFW Solar Tour, and November's Solar Fest in San Antonio.
 
Our mission of promoting efficiency and distributed solar energy is made possible through the generous gifts of time and treasure from the many volunteers and donors to the Texas Solar Energy Society and local chapters. I am filled with gratitude for all involved.

Since our last issue, an ill wind has begun to stir in the solar industry. When I last wrote, I commented on the steep decline in solar PV system prices. That is changing - prices have been rising and some modules are in scarce supply. Undoubtedly, there are complex and multifaceted reasons for this reversal, but in large measure it stems from an international trade dispute.    Read More



Are Solar and Wind Really Killing Coal, Nuclear, and Grid Reliability?
  
By Joshua D. Rhodes, Michael E. Webber, Thomas Deetjen, and Todd Davidson

In April, US Secretary of Energy Rick Perry  requested a study to assess the effect of renewable energy policies on nuclear and coal-fired power plants.

Some energy analysts responded with  confusion, as grid operators and the Department of Energy's own national labs have studied the subject extensively. Others were  critical, saying the intent of the review is to  favor the use of nuclear and coal over  renewable sources.

So, are wind and solar killing coal and nuclear?  Read More


Living Off the Texas Grid, Five Years Later

 

By Ron Zagarri, TXSES

Mike Renner is the former President of the North Texas Renewable Energy Group (NTREG), a chapter of the Texas Solar Energy Society. 

In an article appearing in the May 2013 Solar Reflector, Mike wrote about his and his wife's experience transitioning from total dependence on the Texas grid to a life lived generating their own energy for all their needs.

I recently spoke with Mike to learn how he and his wife Elida are coping, five years later, without a fundamental element of modern society: the power grid.  Read More



The Solar Reflector is a publication of the
Texas Solar Energy Society

The Texas Solar Energy Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1976. The mission is to educate citizens on the value of solar energy for their homes and in their communities, empower them to make informed decisions and encourage them to connect with professional Texas solar businesses. 

Board Officers
DJ Rosebaugh - Chair (Austin)
Ron Zagarri - Vice Chair (Austin)
Micah Jasuta - Secretary (Austin)
Paul Gonin -  Treasurer (Georgetown) 
Board Members at Large
Richard Behlmann (Katy)
Bill Glass (Austin)
Larry Howe  (Plano)
Katherine Searcy  (Austin)      
Chapter Representatives to the Board
Leslie Libby - Solar Austin 
Lissa Magel - North Texas Renewable Energy Group (NTREG)
Kate Rodriguez/Jacob Eyer - Build San Antonio Green/Bring Solar Home
Bill Swann - Houston Renewable Energy Group (HREG)
Executive Director  - Lucy Stolzenburg 
Solar Reflector Editor - Ron Zagarri 
Solar Reflector Copy Editor - Sarah Weber 
 
 
Thanks to Our Platinum and Gold Level Supporters
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Visit www.txses.org for a list of all our business supporters. We thank all of our members, both business and individual, for supporting our mission to educate Texans on the value of solar and encourage its adoption through local Texas businesses.