Appalachian Institute for Renewable Energy
Pioneering community-owned renewable energy
I reported last fall about a local theatre restoration project that we’d connected with through our work at The Center at Donaldson (“Poor Handmaids”). We’ll the community is making good on its vision to include solar from the get go. There were giant holes in the roof when we were on top of it last
New cars these days don’t come with a spare tire. What little that may reduce the price of the car, if any, just doesn’t seem worth it when a flat strands you on the side of the road. That’s the analogy Nobel Prize economist Joseph Stiglitz [1] uses to critique the old economic and political
“I can only take one apocalypse at a time.” That’s what the bank teller said to me during a recent trip to the bank when his computer couldn’t manage a simple deposit. As we stood there waiting for this machine to do its work, he alluded, probably only half jokingly, to the possibilities of artificial
Wherever your place and community may be, you need a guiding question. DO YOU HAVE A VILLAGE WIRING VISION? Whether you’re a faith community, university, city, rural community, or other community of interest, this ought to be a central organizing question. Of course AIRE’s specific focus is community-owned renewable energy, but Sister Mary Baird gives
More great images from the Center at Donaldson. Thanks to Tom VanNevel for these great images from the drone. All photos courtesy of Poor Handmaids for Jesus Christ.
Jeff Deal and I spend 3 days up in northern Indiana last week participating in a variety of solar activities at the Center at Donaldson, home to some very inspiring projects of the Poor Handmaids for Jesus Christ. We’ve posted numerous times on their work over the past year plus, so if you wish to
Solar projects are obviously valuable ecologically and financially, but they can also spread enthusiasm in a community. Last Monday we had the pleasure of meeting a group of folks who are doing just that in the beautiful little town of Plymouth, in northwestern Indiana. They’re well into the restoration of their historic “main street” (N.
With an enrollment of 550 students, Ancilla College may just have more solar per student than any other college. I haven’t actually verified that because my point isn’t quantitative. Rather, it’s qualitative. It’s about doing what is necessary and what is urgent. DOING. It’s about doing what our youth know that we must and that’s
Ancilla College is going green! so says South Bend, Indiana ABC channel 57. This is most certainly not fake news. We’re mighty proud of Poor Handmaids and the folks behind their groundbreaking work. The provincial leadership is worthy of 5-stars for it’s leadership and the lay staff (CFO, building/maintenance/engineering, fleet management, etc.) have perfectly executed
As I’ve posted numerous times previously, we’re constantly inspired by what this group, the Poor Handmaids, are doing at the Center at Donaldson. The major renewable energy projects they’ve undertaken in a short period are impressive enough to stand on their own, but I’ve been interested in what makes it all work in a time