Just got back from attending the Energy Center of Wisconsin's Better Buildings Better Business Conference Wisconsin Dells.

Boy was that place buzzing with great ideas! Just a quick wander through the trade show area was enough to make your head spin - and the gears inside that head start spinning with possibilities. To list just a few resource-saving innovations:

* The Green Switch, a brand-new device that saves you having to individually unplug or turn off all your power strips, appliances and lights when not in use in your most power-hungry rooms

* Structural Insulated Panels - basically big styrofoam sheets sandwiched between pressboard, which eliminate the need for studs. They're supposed to result in leak-free constuction and result in a 50% more efficient building. It's available in 4 thicknesses with R values from R-18 to R-40.

* The Solatube, a high-tech skylight that effectively brings daylight into hard-to-reach places

* Rain catchment and greywater recycling systems; super-efficient windows; a souped-up Prius (a plug-in hybrid equipped with lithium-ion batteries such as you'll find in the newest power tools; it's a fleet car owned by WPPI Energy; financing options for homeowners considering energy-efficient upgrades (more on this in future posts); and a whole lot more.

By the way, the Kalahari resort, where the conference took place, is home to Wisconsin's largest solar thermal installation. We figure this impressive project is saving the Kalahari about $15,000 per year in water heating expenses. (The picture above shows just a few of the 104 panels in the installation.)

Solar Thermal Tax Credit Caps

A couple of posts ago I wrote that the rebate caps on residential solar had been lifted starting in 2009. The information came from what is usually a reliable source, but as it was there was some confusion about the topic in the weeks following the passing of the renewable energy bill last fall.

Turns out the cap was lifted for PV, but not for solar thermal. Too bad - it reflects true ignorance of the real value of solar thermal.

Even so, solar water heating remains an economically attractive renewable energy source - even in Wisconsin.

See our website ( www.MarathonRenewableEnergy.com ) for more information on solar water heating in Wisconsin - or call us at 715-218-8654 and Dan will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about the topic. (Be sure to set aside a chunk of time - he's kind of like a walking encyclopedia.)

Project Update: One Step at a Time

It's not always easy being the first.

As the first solar thermal contractor in Marathon County, we're paving the way in terms of letting suppliers know exactly what the industry needs in terms of parts and materials.

Although work on the Henricks project began a while ago, it's taken until now for everything to finally get here and ready to go.

In the meantime, Dan's been working outside in the chill Wisconsin winter, getting the panel mounts ready for installation. This particular project presents a unique challenge because of a combination of awning-mounted panels over vinyl siding and a less-than-flush exterior wall. The panels must be mounted securely enough to withstand windstorms, while the vinyl needs room to flex with outside temperature variations to avoid cracking.

Dan tells me the panel mounts are almost completed and the parts are lined up and ready to go.

They're planning to hang the panels Saturday.

We'll keep you posted!