Pioneering approaches for community
                investment in renewable energy
home    about    projects    blog    FAQ    resources   

Blog Posts for April, 2009

Installation of Boone’s FIRST Community Owned Solar Electric System Now in Progress.


Monday, April 27th, 2009 -
This past Saturday, the Boone Community Solar Initiative began installation of its first community owned solar electric system. The event was well attended by both community member-owners and local volunteers. Thanks to these volunteers and community members-owners, the solar electric panels are now on the roof and ready for wiring and connection to the electrical grid. Video of the event coming soon!

Click HERE to read the High Country Press article.

AIRE Executive Director Steve Owen stands on the roof of The Greenhouse, next to the newly installed solar panels. Photo by Owen Gray

Community Installers raising solar electric
collectors to the roof of The Greenhouse.

Solar electric panels being attached
to balasted rooftop racks.

Solar electric panels being attached
to balasted rooftop racks.

Construction of Appalachian State University’s 100 kW Turbine Moves Ahead


Friday, April 24th, 2009 -

The construction of the Appalachian State University Renewable Energy Initiative’s 100 kW turbine is well underway. Check out the pictures below of the wind turbine’s tower assembly . Once more, the High Country has taken the lead once in North Carolina wind energy with the state’s largest electricity producing turbine.

Nice work Appalachian State University – students, faculty, and staff – and to you as well Boone, NC!


Workers preparing tower base for 100kW wind turbine

Workers preparing tower base for 100kW wind turbine

Close up of the structural steel rebar for wind turbine tower base

View depicting the depth of the wind turbine’s tower base

Wind turbine tower base filled with concrete ballast

Wind turbine tower portion waiting to be raised!

AIRE Celebrates Earth Day 2009: Accepts Shipment of Eleven Solar Electric Panels


Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009 -

Jeff Deal stands beside 11 Sharp solar electric panels. The panels combined will produce 2376 Watts of solar electricity.

Happy Earth Day High Country!

In celebration of the wondrous Natural World we humans inhabit, The Appalachian Initiative for Renewable Energy, AIRE, accepted delivery of eleven Sharp solar electric panels for the High Country’s first community owned solar electricity system. The system is scheduled for installation on the roof of The Greehouse this coming weekend.

Community members and/or member owners interested in participating in the systems installation can contact Steve Owen at steve@aire-nc.org. For more information regarding the system CLICK HERE.

AIRE’s Executive Director, Steve Owen, Discusses North Carolina Wind Energy Policy in IndyWeek.com


Saturday, April 18th, 2009 -

You can read Steve’s take on wind energy here in the “Old North State” at IndyWeek.com HERE.

A CALL TO CONSCIENCE: Peaceful Assembly to Halt the Construction of the New Coal-fired Power Plant at Duke Energy’s Cliffside Facility


Tuesday, April 14th, 2009 -

Cliffside Climate Action this Monday April 20th in Charlotte, NC.

Join the Cliffside Climate Action on Monday, April 20th in Charlotte, NC for a rally to stop construction of Duke Energy’s Cliffside Coal-fired Power Plant.

On this day of action, named Call to Conscience: Cliffside Climate Action, hundreds of North Carolinians will demonstrate their moral indignation at the use of 19th Century technology that is unneeded, unlawful, and is damaging our health and the habitability of our planet.

Building Cliffside is a wasteful, $2.4 billion expenditure that would be more wisely used to create a green jobs, clean energy economy – the fastest way to help slow climate change.

It is time to insist that Duke CEO Jim Rogers, NC Governor Perdue’s administration, and NC state legislators join the growing list of elected officials across America moving to stop construction of coal-fired power plants – climate change time bombs.

We invite you to come and bear witness as responsible citizens. Father John Rausch, working with communities in Appalachia devastated by mountaintop removal mining, is right when he says, “Feet in the street can move a mind in a bind.”

Bearing witness is one option, or you may wish to learn more about engaging in nonviolent civil disobedience. If so, please join us on Sunday, April 19th for non-violent training. Almost all important social change movements in US history have been initiated through nonviolent acts of resistance.

“Coal plants are factories of death. It is no wonder that young people (and some not so young) are beginning to block new construction,”
says Dr. James Hansen, Director of NASA’s Goddard Space Studies Institute.

Other ways of participating include:

  • Volunteering with our organizing effort
  • Informing your friends and social network
  • Donating for legal defense
  • Sending a SHORT message to Gov. Beverly Perdue:Office of the Governor
    20301 Mail Service Center
    Raleigh, NC 27699-0301
    (919) 733-4240
    governor.office@nc.gov

Please let us know if you plan to attend by registering HERE.

Benefit for Boone’s First Community Owned Solar Electric System a Success


Saturday, April 4th, 2009 -

Fifty-plus Watauga County residents came out to The Greenhouse Friday April 3rd to support community owned renewable energy in the High Country. The benefit raised the initial $2600 of the $25,000 necessary for Boone’s first community owned solar electric system, to be located on the roof of the The Greenhouse. The system will reliably produce 300 kilowatt hours per month of clean green electricity for use by downtown Boone. Ged Moody, a fellow of the Appalachian Institute for Renewable Energy (AIRE), discussed with the community members present how each can financially support the project through donations and/or member-owner investment.

For more information about the Boone Community Solar Initiative click HERE.

Read more about the event of at the links below…

Boone Mayor Loretta Clawson cuts the ribbon, held by AIRE’s Director Steven Owen and Community Organizer Matt Cooper, on Boone’s FIRST Community Owned Solar Electric System

Jeff Deal and Steve Owen, Executive Director of AIRE, talk community owned/community supported Renewable Energy.