Submitted by Thurston Climate Action Team
September 9, 2012 – The annual Thurston Solar Tour will take place this year on Saturday, September 29 throughout Thurston County. The emphasis of this year’s tour is to show the community how solar works in Thurston County. The self-guided tour is an opportunity for the public to visit local homes and businesses to see how solar energy, energy efficiency and other sustainable technologies operate to reduce monthly bills and help reduce carbon emissions.
There’s something for everyone on this year’s tour, including:
- 13 sites that have never been on the tour before, including seven brand-new installations (2012)
- Three sites that feature electric vehicle charging stations – with a Chevrolet Volt and Nissan Leaf on display at Site # 17
- Two commercial sites, including the first Church to go solar in Olympia!
“This year we’ve chosen to feature several brand-new installations on the Tour, so that tour participants can get a fresh perspective on the process of installing solar,” says Graeme Sackrison, chair of Thurston Climate Action Team, the Thurston Solar Tour’s fiduciary. “We will have docents available at each site to answer questions about how solar technology works, as well as experts from Puget Sound Energy on site at the Inspiration Home, to answer questions about net metering and connecting to the grid.”
The Thurston Solar Tour is sponsored by several prominent local organizations, including: The Community Foundation of South Puget Sound; Generations Credit Union; Olympia Federal Savings; Puget Sound Energy; Scott Homes; South Sound Solar; Sunset Air, Inc.; and Titus Will Automotive Group. A full list of sponsors is available on the Thurston Solar Tour website.
The Thurston Solar Tour is part of the National Solar Tour, now in its 17th year. This grass-roots event is coordinated nationally by the American Solar Energy Society (ASES) in collaboration with dozens of outstanding partner organizations.
Because this year’s tour is self-guided, tour participants are encouraged to visit as many sites as they like, at a pace they enjoy. The 2012 Thurston Solar Tour is FREE and open to the public from 10 am until 4 pm. For more information about the tour sites, or about the Tour itself, please visit Thurston Solar Tour’s website.
For more information contact:
Graeme Sackrison, Chairperson, Thurston Climate Action Team – graeme.sackrison@gmail.com
About Thurston Climate Action Team: The Thurston Climate Action Team (TCAT) is local non-profit dedicated to creating a healthy and sustainable future for Thurston County by encouraging, coordinating and taking action on climate change.
