Sian Ka'an uses sun for electricity and hot water

Centro Ecológico Sian Ka'an uses a solar electric panel (in the lower left) to generate electricity while the second panel captures the sun's heat to produce hot water.

The workshop will cover installation of both types of solar collectors.

Registration

Green Homes & Renewable Energy in the Riviera Maya
Akumal, México, Nov. 6-8, 2008
Your name:

Business or organization name (if appropriate):

Mailing address:

E-Mail:

Phone (day time):
Phone (evening):

Register for one, two , or three days:

$325 (USD) all three days.
$250 (USD) for any two days. Specify the days:
$125 (USD) for any one day. Specify the days:

Registration includes breakfast and lunch.

Make check payable to: Yucatan Environmental Foundation
(Registration payments are not tax deductible.)

Print and complete registration form; mail to:

Yucatan Environmental Foundation
c/o Eco-Yucatán, Inc.
PO Box 2702
Madison, WI 53701-2702

Help us tailor the workshops to your interests:

What type of green or renewable energy installations interest you?



Where would the installation be—condo, single family home, business (please specify type of business)?



What do you want to get out of the workshop?

Bio: John Hippensteel

From a media release issued by Focus on Energy:

Wind/solar installer named Market Provider of the Year

MADISON, Wis. (June 30) - Focus on Energy's Renewable Energy Program honored John Hippensteel, of Sturgeon Bay, Wis. based Lake Michigan Wind & Sun Ltd., with the 2008 Market Provider of the Year Award. The award was presented at the Midwest Renewable Energy Association's (MREA) 19th annual Energy Fair on June 22, 2008 in Custer, Wis.

The Market Provider of the Year Award was conceived as a way to recognize renewable energy contractors who exemplify the goals and expectations of the Focus on Energy Renewable Energy Program. The award provides the opportunity to honor one such contractor each year for their commitment and dedication to excellent customer service and quality renewable energy systems installation. Contractors who receive this award are exceptional in their passion, intelligence and dedication when it comes to providing renewable energy services.

"For more than a decade John has been installing solar electric, solar hot water and wind electric systems for satisfied customers," said Don Wichert, renewable energy director for Focus on Energy. "Wisconsin truly benefits from having well qualified businesses like Lake Michigan Wind & Sun Ltd. grow our renewable energy markets."

Hippensteel has consistently had a strong presence at many events throughout the state and is always willing to share information, photos and his innovative models. His professionalism and workmanship keep existing customers coming back for more projects, and his creativity continues to attract new customers. Hippensteel is the only North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) Certified Solar Electric and Solar Thermal Installer in Wisconsin. He has installed more than 50 solar and wind power systems with support from Focus on Energy.

*****From the introduction to an interview published in the quarterly newsletter of RENEW Wisconsin:

After dropping out of college, working as a pipefitter in the shipyards, then returning for his engineering degree, John Hippensteel traveled from the Midwest to Africa and back before he purchased Lake Michigan Wind and Sun (LMWS) from founder Mick Sagrillo in 1997.

Hippensteel still travels afar, teaching wind resource assessment and turbine maintenance in China and South Korea, for instance. Shortly following this interview, he headed to Denmark to continue research on wind projects there.

When he’s at LMWS in Sturgeon Bay, he splits his time along the lines of the company’s business commitments –- 25 percent in solar thermal; 25 percent in photovoltaics; 20 percent in commercial wind site assessment, monitoring, and tower installations for data loggers; and 30 percent in small wind/larger wind maintenance and service.

LMWS (www.windandsun.com) employs two full-time people, including Hippensteel, and several part-timers, depending on the projects on hand.

Blocking and using the sun in Akumal

From the April/May newsletter of Centro Ecologico Akumal (CEA):

We at CEA are grateful for the donation of solar-powered heaters [pictured above on the roof] from Sunrain and recommend their use. What are you waiting for to take care of the environment? Install yours now!

The solar water heaters significantly reduce the need to heat water with electricity, propane or natural gas, thus reducing greenhouse gases.

CEA staff and volunteers built trellises and planted the bougainvillea vines to provide cooling shade from the sun that previously baked the volunteers' dormitory behind the planting. The shade cuts the use of air conditioners and their resulting green house emissions from electrical generation at a central generation plant or from a gas-, diesel-, or gasoline-powered generator.

Solar installation cuts energy bills and global warming

Bart Smith, owner of  Turtle Bay Cafe, Akumal, Mexico, inspects the solar panels on the roof of an addition to his year-old home in the jungle. The electricity-producing panels help eliminate the need for power from traditional generation plants that produce global warming gases, especially carbon dioxide.

Click on photo to enlarge.

Sherrie Gruder Biography

Sherrie Gruder is a Sustainable Design Specialist for the University of Wisconsin-Extension.

Based in Madison, Sherrie provides statewide education and technical assistance on green building, sustainable development, energy conservation and renewable energy. Sherrie is working on many fronts to promote sustainable development and create an infrastructure to facilitate it in Wisconsin. She works with state and local government, architects, engineers, contractors, haulers, renewable energy providers, suppliers and the public. Sherrie also coordinates the state public benefits energy program - Focus on Energy - for UW-Extensionʼs statewide network of agents.

Sherrie is a LEED™Accredited Professional by the US Green Building Council and is serving a second term on its Government Core Committee. She is on the MTS committee that developed the National Sustainable Product Standard. Sherrie has served six years on the education and advocacy committee of the Wisconsin Green Building Alliance. She served on the advisory council for the Habitat ReStore and on the technical advisory committee of the Wisconsin Green Built Home Program.

Sherrie is trained in The Natural Step and is a founding member of the North American EcoMunicipality Network. Sherrie chairs the City of Madison Sustainable Design & Energy Committee, co-chaired the Madison Mayorʼs Energy Task Force and co-authored the blueprint to make Madison a green capital city with sustainable design and energy supporting its economic vitality. In that role she has organized trainings for city staff on commissioning and retro-commissioning, The Natural Step and energy conservation, drafted resolutions on topics from renewable energy purchase to green building, organized a clean energy challenge campaign with city wide partners, served on the LEED-EB Monona Terrace design team, and helped obtain two US DOE grants to make Madison a solar city.

Some statewide outreach includes consulting on the Governorʼs Green Building Executive Order (April 2006), serving on the Milwaukee Mayorʼs Green Team, providing technical assistance and education to the Sustainable Marshfield Committee, working on comprehensive energy planning for the Lac de Flambeau Tribe and green business park development for the Oneida County Economic Development Consortium. Sherrie works in an advisory capacity on several LEED green commercial building projects in Wisconsin. She does a green building show on WI Public Radio and leads the annual Wisconsin Tour of Solar Businesses in Madison.