Solar Village Offers Look at Eco-Friendly Technology
If you’re planning to groove to the music of this weekend’s Taos Solar Music Fest, swing on by the event’s popular companion happening, the Taos Solar Village, for a chance to view the latest in solar, wind and green building technology designed to help Mother Earth keep her cool.
The music fest requires tickets, but the Solar Village exhibit is free to the public.
This year’s event, which opens Friday in Kit Carson Park off of Paseo del Pueblo Norte, marks the 10th year for the joint event. The Solar Village is hosted by the Taos chapter of the New Mexico Solar Energy Association.
According to Scott Evans, president of the Taos chapter and owner of Green Builders, a Taos-based builder employing green construction technology and materials, more than two dozen exhibitors are participating in this year’s Solar Village presentation, a list that includes nonprofit organizations, government agencies, renewable energy experts, rain water-harvesting and water-treatment specialists, and innovative solar and green building designers.
A highlight of the exhibit is the New Mexico Solar’s Sunchaser, a mobile classroom to introduce students of all ages to the possibilities of utilizing solar and other forms of alternative energy to fuel our cars, homes and lifestyles.
“Exhibitors will have superb demonstrations, written materials and on-hand experts in the field to answer all your questions,” Evans said. “There will be solar electricians, solar plumbers and geothermal energy experts on hand to show you how these technologies have matured, how they work and are cost effective and can help us shift from fossil fuel use to renewable sources of energy.”
Evans said the Solar Village is an important informational tool for people planning to build or renovate their home because they will have an opportunity to visit with green builders and solar designers and learn about new building materials and techniques.
“Visitors can learn how to catch the rainwater off their roofs, store it in cisterns for later use in the garden or even to provide household water,” he said. “And there will also be an opportunity to learn about energy-efficiency programs; tax credits for solar systems; buying green power from your local utility; national forest, wilderness and waterway protection; and creating land trusts to preserve open space for us and our children.”
In the Sunchaser mobile classroom, you can walk in front of a large photovoltaic module and stop the solarpowered water fountain using just your shadow, and you can see remote-control cars running on solar power, with no batteries to buy.
Visitors also will have the chance to learn about fuel cells that can work all day long from clean hydrogen fuel made on site from the sun, see how a full-scale solar water heater works or take a food break with cookies baked in a solar-powered oven.
“I hope everyone can come visit and learn how to keep our water clean, our wildlife diverse and habitat strong and get interested in educating others about the benefits of solar energy,” Evans said.
The Taos Solar Village will be open from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
