The 2017 Energy Fair Pre-Fair Guide

2017 PRE-FAIR GUIDE

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LEARN. CONNECT. EMPOWER. HUNDREDS OF WORKSHOPS & EXHIBITS / KEYNOTES / FAMILY FRIENDLY / ENTERTAINMENT / CLEAN TRANSPORTATION SHOW / RENEWABLE ENERGY / GREEN BUILDING / ENERGY EFFICIENCY / COMMUNITY RESILIENCE / LOCAL FOOD / BEER / & MORE!

FEATURING: JB Straubel, Co-Founder of TESLA, Keynote at WI Fair!

TheEnergyFair.org

Take your Career to New Heights.

Take Advantage of the Many Programs and Services NABCEP has to Offer.

Associate Level Programs Take the first step in launching your career in renewable energy.

Professional Certification Distinguish yourself and raise industry standards by certifying as a PV Installation Professional, PV Technical Sales Professional or Solar Heating Installer.

Company Accreditation Show that you and your company are committed to high-quality standards.

Annual Continuing Education Conference Earn Continuing Education Credits towards certification or recertification, and learn from top technical trainers.

NABCEP Career Center Post jobs, upload your resume and search for employment opportunities within the renewable energy field.

Resource Guides Stay current on technical information and industry best practices.

Visit nabcep.org or call (800) 654-0021 for more information.

CONTENTS Introduction.......................................................2 Featured Speakers........................................4-5 Sponsors............................................................6 Exhibitors........................................................8-9 Tickets/Camping/Volunteer.........................10 Buses & Shuttles..............................................12 Music/Human Powered Main Stage............13 Special Activities.......................................14-15 Green Building................................................16 Bio-Mass..........................................................17 Clean Transportation/EV Charging.........18-19 MREA’s PV+EV Campaign.............................19 Educator..........................................................20 Rainbow’s End.................................................21 Energy Efficiency & Conservation................22 Economics & Finance....................................22 Sustainable Living...........................................24 Sustainable Farm & Garden..........................25 Community Involvement & Activism............26 Wind.................................................................26 Professional Development.............................26 Solar Electric & Solar Thermal........................28 Solar Professional............................................29 MREA Membership.........................................32

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NEW Energy Fair Minnesota......................30-31

NEW FAIR!

ADVERTISER INDEX NABCEP....................................................Inside Front Cover Organic Valley.....................................................................3 Home Power.........................................................................7 American Solar Energy Society........................................11 Midwest Renewable Energy Association........................12 The Progressive...................................................................13 Gimme Shelter Construction.............................................16 Midwest Women’s Herbal Conference...........................17 Garden Circles...................................................................22 Arch Electric........................................................................23 The Stevens Point Area Co-op..........................................24 Willy Street Co-op..............................................................25 Wisconsin Public Radio......................................................27 Rolls Battery Engineering...................................................29 Natural Awakenings..............................Inside Back Cover Offbeat Press / Tee Forward..............Outside Back Cover

Fri., Sept. 8, Solar Professional Day Sat., Sept. 9, 9a.m. - 10p.m.

Sun., Sept. 10, 9a.m. - 5p.m.

Harriet Island Park 200 Dr. Justus Ohage Blvd.

St. Paul, MN 55107

28th annual WI Fair

Fri. / Sat. June 16-17, 9a.m. - 10p.m.

Sun., June 18, 9a.m. - 4p.m.

MREA Headquarters 7558 Deer. Rd. Custer, WI 54423

The Energy Fair is hosted by:

Contact kaitlynk@midwestrenew.org to support MREA by advertising in our publications!

The 2017 Pre-Fair Guide was locally printed on 100% postconsumer recycled paper by Action Printing. www.actionprinting.com

Learn. Connect. Empower.

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Greetings!

Each year, I am astounded by The Energy Fair and honored to bring so many amazing people together to take action towards a sustainable future. Since pictures are worth a thousand words, I’ve included a few faces of last year’s Fair, along with some advice and highlights to share. Make sure to mark The Energy Fair on your calendar; you won’t want to miss it!

There’s a lot to take in for first-time attendees. Our staff and volunteers are here to help! Stop by the Info Tent, Volunteer Tent, or Marketplace to find many people ready and willing to help you have the best possible Fair experience.

If you’re looking to get more out of your time at The Energy Fair, try volunteering! It’s a fun way to experience the Fair and meet volunteer veterans (the backbone of The Energy Fair).

Like a family tradition nearly three decades long, people keep coming back to celebrate clean energy and sustainable living at The Energy Fair! There are always new things to learn and new people to meet, not to mention the great food, beer, and entertainment to be enjoyed throughout the weekend!

Whether it’s your first year or your 28th, we all gather for a common cause. Education is the underlying force of The Energy Fair and people who show up each year excited to learn are the reason the Fair continues to be a positive force in the sustainable living movement.

I can’t forget to mention the non-tangible benefits of all the positive energy and good feelings you get from everyone. The Fair may be the largest gathering of the nicest and most caring people in the Midwest. I guarantee that attending The Energy Fair will energize you (pun intended).

Finally, The Energy Fair wouldn’t be possible without your support. There is something special gained from the sum of each individual contribution. I think 2 + 2 might equal 5 during The Energy Fair. Join us this year and you’ll see what I mean, and join us for the FIRST TIME in Saint Paul, Minnesota at Harriet Island Park in September!

Shine On, Allison Lindquist, MREA Events Coordinator

The 28th Annual Energy Fair WI June 16-18

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Learn.

Connect. Empower .

NEW Minnesota Energy Fair Sept. 9-10, Solar Professional Day Sept. 8.

©Organic Valley 2017-12011

Organic Valley dairy farmers like the Trussoni family believe in the importance of providing healthy, local, organic dairy products for the communities they live in. For more than 25 years, our farmer-owned cooperative has been committed to producing nutritious, organic products in harmony with the earth and with respect for animals.

Learn more about our mission at OrganicValley.coop.

© Organic Valley 2014-11010

The Trussoni Family Farm One of our more than 775 Midwest farmer-owners.

JOIN ORGANIC VALLEY FOR BREAKFAST • JUNE 17 & JUNE 18 MAIN Tent STAGE 7:30–11:00 a.m. Food (Proceeds to benefit MREA)

The 28th Annual Energy Fair WI June 16-18

NEW Minnesota Energy Fair Sept. 9-10, Solar Professional Day Sept. 8.

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FEATURED Speakers

THURSDAY, June 15th, 6:30P.M. Networking Dinner

RICHARD PEREZ TRIBUTE Richard Perez founded Home Power magazine and in many ways, The Energy Fair. Richard and Karen Perez put out a challenge to their readership in the August/September 1989 issue of Home Power. After reading this call to action, a group of friends took to the local farm kitchen and organized The First Annual Energy Fair. Shortly after, the MREA was incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with an unwavering mission to “promote renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable living through education and demonstration.” Here we are 28 years later.

We wouldn’t be here without Richard Perez.

Please join us in sharing our gratitude for Richard’s contribution to renewable energy, watch a clip of his last interview with documentary filmmaker Jeff Spies, and join The Energy Fair and MREA founders in sharing stories about him.

Richard and Karen at the First Energy Fair, Amherst Fairgrounds, 1990.

Richard outside his house next to his “Democracy Array” during filming of “Pioneers of PV” documentary.

FRIDAY, JUNE 16th, 1P.M.

ERICA MACKIE, P.E., CO-FOUNDER, GRID ALTERNATIVES

Erica co-founded GRID Alternatives in 2001 and as CEO has helped develop it into a major national nonprofit that makes solar technology and job training accessible to underserved communities. Ms. Mackie has received numerous awards for her leadership of GRID Alternatives. She holds Bachelor’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Physics from Southern Illinois University. Following Ms. Mackie’s Keynote, join us for the Women Advancing Our Renewable Energy Future panel and networking opportunity to celebrate women who work behind the scenes or on the front lines to build a clean energy future. Women in renewable energy–we’re stronger together.

2:30 – 4:30 in the Pink Tent.

FRIDAY, JUNE 16th, 7P.M.

PAUL HUNTON, DOCUMENTARY, DIRECTOR

Paul Allen Hunton is a three-time Emmy winning nonfiction filmmaker. He is the creator of 24 Frames, a documentary program highlighting music, art, and culture in the southwest which airs regionally on PBS stations. Paul recently directed the documentary Between Earth and Sky. Paul will introduce and screen this documentary, facilitate a Q&A following the documentary, and give updates since the documentary was filmed.

EXCLUSIVE DOCUMENTARY SCREENING: Between Earth and Sky Alaska has been the source of myth and legend in the imagination of Americans for centuries, and what was once the last frontier of American expansion, has become the first frontier in climate change. Between Earth and Sky examines climate change through the lens of impacts to native Alaskans, receding glaciers, and arctic soil. Between Earth and Sky shows the calamity of climate change that has started in Alaska but is already engulfing the globe.

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Visit TheEnergyFair.org for the full lineup of featured speakers.

FEATURED Speakers SATURDAY, JUNE 17th, 9A.M.

CHRIS HOLMAN, FARMER, NAMI MOON FARMS

Chris and his partner, Maria Davis, are proud members of the MREA and they own and operate Nami Moon Farms in Custer, WI. Their 41-acre diversified livestock farm focuses on pasture-raised poultry and hogs, and perennial and annual fruits and vegetables. Chris currently serves on the state board for Wisconsin Farmers Union, and his advocacy efforts have ranged from the local to the international arenas. Enjoy a delicious hearty breakfast served by Organic Valley during Chris’ keynote!

SATURDAY, JUNE 17th, 1P.M.

TYLER HUEBNER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RENEW WISCONSIN

Tyler is the Executive Director of RENEW WI, a nonprofit organization which leads and accelerates the transformation to Wisconsin’s renewable energy future through advocacy, education, and collaboration. He has previously worked at the State of Wisconsin’s Division of Energy Services, the U.S. Department of Energy’s Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy division, and ICF International as a consultant to utilities and businesses. He holds a Master’s degree from Stanford University and Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering from the University of Iowa. Tyler will introduce Saturday’s 1P.M. keynote, Kari Lydersen.

SATURDAY, JUNE 17th, 1P.M.

KARI LYDERSEN, WRITER, MIDWEST ENERGY NEWS

Kari Lydersen is a Chicago-based staff writer for Midwest Energy News, journalism professor, and co-director of the Social Justice News Nexus at Medill, focusing on topics like energy and environmental justice. Kari will speak about the revolutionary shift in our country’s energy generation and how we are moving away from traditional centralized generation. She’ll talk about how in an era where everyone is on the lookout for “fake news” and spin, how journalists can cover this debate fairly, accessibly, and in a way that helps lead us toward a sustainable energy future. She is the author of five books, including Closing the Cloud Factories: Lessons from the Fight to Shut Down Chicago’s Coal Plants. Thanks to Midwest Energy News, this book is available for free as an e-book and Kari will have limited copies on-site as a public service.

SATURDAY, JUNE 17th, 6P.M.

JB STRAUBEL CHIEF TECHNICAL OFFICER, CO-FOUNDER, TESLA

JB Straubel is the Chief Technical Officer (CTO) and co-founder of Tesla Motors.

At Tesla, JB manages the technical direction and engineering design of the Tesla products including battery technology, power electronics, motors, software, firmware and controls. JB also created and manages many important Tesla initiatives including: the Tesla Energy business providing grid storage for commercial utilities and residential consumers; the worldwide Tesla Supercharger network of fast DC chargers; and the Tesla Gigafactory which is leading the way toward increasing worldwide battery production and lowering the cost per kWh. JB Straubel’s keynote is supported by a grant fund through Incourage. New this year get a ticket to reserve your seat at TheEnergyFair.org/tickets.

All MREA donors are invited to attend the Donor Dinner, Saturday, June 17, at 7:00 p.m. with special guest JB Straubel. See page 15 for more information.

Visit TheEnergyFair.org for the full lineup of featured speakers.

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EARLY-BIRD SPONSORS WATT SPONSORS:

GIGAWATT SPONSORS

MEGAWATT SPONSORS

• • • • • • • • • • •

Arch Electric Central Boiler Charnecke Tents, Inc. CLEAResult Focus on Energy Folsom Labs Gimme Shelter Construction, Inc. Inovateus Solar Panasonic Raw Revolution Sierra Club-John Muir Chapter

GRASSROOTS SPONSORS • • • • • • •

Colectivo Coffee Crockett Septic Madison College Milwaukee Shines Offbeat Press / Tee Forward PACE Wisconsin Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education and UW-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources • Wisconsin Energy Conservation Corp.

PARTNERS KILOWATT SPONSORS

• American Solar Energy Society (ASES) • Central Rivers Farmshed • Central Waters Brewing Company • International Bank of Amherst • Midwest Energy News • Natural Awakenings • Small Wind Conference • Tomorrow River Community Charter School • Tomorrow Valley Communications • Wisconsin Farmers Union

Add your name to the list of supporting sponsors!

6 The 28th Annual Energy Fair WI June 16-18

NEW Minnesota Energy Fair Sept. 9-10, Solar Professional Day Sept. 8.

t in l Pr ita In Dig or

Your Dedicated Renewable Energy Resource

Since 1987, whether you’re a do-it-yourselfer, off-grid or on-grid, home or business owner, Home Power helps you make informed decisions about your energy generation and use with extensive how-to instruction, product information, testimonials, buyer advice and detailed illustrations.

Subscribe or Renew Today!

Full archive access available • homepower.com/subscribe • 800-707-6585

7 The 28th Annual Energy Fair WI June 16-18

NEW Minnesota Energy Fair Sept. 9-10, Solar Professional Day Sept. 8.

Energy Efficiency

EARLY-BIRD Exhibitors

• • • • • • •

Exhibitors in Green = Fair Sponsors Exhibitors with

= MREA Members

Bio-Mass Heating • • • •

Central Boiler Earth Sense Energy Systems Michigan State University Extension Solid Rock Masonry

Financial • Custom Financial Strategies • Evergreen Credit Union

Books / Media • Waterfalling in Wisconsin Author • Backwoods Home Magazine • Self-Reliance Magazine

Food & Beverage • • • •

Builders / Architects • • • •

Gimme Shelter Construction, Inc. Great Lakes Carpentry, Inc. Lakeside Advanced Builders Wholistic Home Solutions, LLC

Black Box Bikes Crazy Lenny’s E-Bikes, LLC Honda Motorwerks Mark Toyota of Plover The Cargo Bike Shop

Education • • • • • •

ADIRE/SHAMA, Inc. Glacetier Ice Cream Jamaican Kitchens Kinstone Kitchen

Nonprofit

Clean Transportation • • • • •

Accurate-Airtight Exteriors AHT Wisconsin Windows Exquisite Windows and Doors Midwestern Solutions Mitchell’s Heating & Cooling TF Forming Systems, Inc. WaterFurnace International, Inc.

Conserve School Madison College Mid-State Technical College Northeast Wisconsin Technical College Tomorrow River Community Charter School WI State Wood Energy Team / University of Wisconsin • Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education and UW-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources

• • • • • • • • • • • • •

Central Rivers Farmshed Citizens Climate Lobby Democratic Party of Wisconsin Family Farm Defenders Ice Age Trail Alliance InStove Midwest Renewable Energy Association Nukewatch Recycling Connections Corporation RENEW Wisconsin Sierra Club - John Muir Chapter Sunny Day Earth Solutions Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters

8 The 28th Annual Energy Fair WI June 16-18

NEW Minnesota Energy Fair Sept. 9-10, Solar Professional Day Sept. 8.

Photovoltaics

Sustainable Living

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• • • • • •

Alternative Trends, LLC Eagle Point Solar EJOT Fastening Systems L.P. Energize, LLC Full Spectrum Solar GigaWatt, Inc. / SunJack Inovateus Solar Lake Michigan Wind and Sun, Ltd. Morningstar Corporation NECA Chicago and IBEW Local Union #134 Next Energy Solution, Inc. North Wind Renewable Energy Cooperative PacketFlux Technologies Photovoltaic Systems, LLC Rolls Battery Engineering U.S. Solar Mounts, Corp Wellspring Renewable Energy Werner Electric Supply, Wisconsin Clean Energy • Werner Electric, Minnesota Solar Thermal • Practical Solar Sustainable Farm & Garden • • • • • • • •

B&E’s Trees Century Sun Oil, LLC KAR Enterprises MI Greenhouse Organic Valley Breakfasts Urbal Tea Wisconsin Farmers Union Wisconsin Sustainable Aquaculture

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Alice’s Rabbit Whole Baabaashop, LLC CDL Wisconsin / Roth Sugarbush Cutco Grandma Dotties Dips Green Planet Rain Barrels, LLC / Staving the Planet Inn Serendipity Farm and B&B Kitchen Craft LeafFilter North of Wisconsin, Inc. Linda & Gene Farley Center for Peace, Justice, and Sustainability Massage Tent Moonwise Herbs, LLC NES Ecological Services Northern Sun Merchandising RedBudSuds RJK Enterprises / HybridLights SilverFire Disaster and Recreation Stoves & Cookwear, LLC Smude Oil / Kowalzek Soothing Salves Soap Nut Lady Stevens Point Area Co-op The Eco Purse Project U Can Click It Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Utility • Dairyland Power Cooperative / Touchstone Energy Cooperatives

Wind • LoTec Windmill Service • Otherpower.com

9 The 28th Annual Energy Fair WI June 16-18

NEW Minnesota Energy Fair Sept. 9-10, Solar Professional Day Sept. 8.

Custer, WI TICKETS

Back 40 Camping

Early Bird tickets on sale April 1 - May 17.

EARLY BIRD

FRONT GATE

Adult Weekend Pass..........................................$26

$35

Senior (65+) / Student Weekend Pass..............$15

$20

Youth (13-18) Weekend Pass.............................$15

$20

Adult 1-Day Pass.................................................$10

$15

Senior (65+) / Student Day Pass........................$8

$10

Youth (13-18) Day Pass.......................................$8

$10

Entertainment Evening Pass..............................$10 (after 5p.m.) Entertainment included with day and weekend passes.

$10

Tent and RV campsites are available 1 mile from the Front Gate with free shuttle.

Reserve your site online at TheEnergyFair.org/tickets.

Limited spaces available.

(Sponsored by Crocket Septic)

CAMPSITE PRICING

Tent............................$20/night Tent with car.............$22/night RV...............................$25/night

Free Entry For: MREA MEMBERS

As a member, you support MREA’s mission, and gain many benefits like FREE Fair admission!

Special rates for students, seniors, families, businesses, and nonprofits. See page 15 for member activities, and page 32 for membership information.

Join at the front gate or online: midwestrenew.org/join See page 30 for Minnesota Energy Fair ticket information!

DADS ON SUNDAY

VOLUNTEERS

We rely on and appreciate the help we get from our volunteers to make the Fair a success!

Sign up at: TheEnergyFair.org/volunteer • 2 hrs gets you FREE admission for the day • 12+ hrs gets you: -Free weekend admission -Hardcore volunteer t-shirt -Thursday Networking Dinner ticket

Show your dad some love on Father’s Day; bring him to the Fair, and he gets in FREE with child!

KIDS 12 AND UNDER

The Energy Fair is a true familyfriendly event! See Rainbow’s End activities on page 21.

- SORRY NO PETS

Check out nearby kennel information at: TheEnergyFair.org

Thanks To our STREET team!

A huge thanks to our Street Team members who’ve helped spread the word about The Energy Fair! On average Street Team members distribute approximately 15 posters or other promotional materials.

HELP US SPREAD THE WORD

Become a part of our Street Team for either Energy Fair or both! Contact Kristen at kristeny@midwestrenew.org or 715-592-6595.

DAY OF ACTION: Thursday, May 18th

Show your support for Clean Energy and Sustainable Living by mentioning #TheEnergyFair in your Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter posts on May 18th!

Promotional and social media materials available at:

TheEnergyFair.org/media-kit

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Let’s Get Social! @themrea

@MREA @TheEnergyFair

@midwest.renew

See our reach across WI made possible by Street Team members!

ASES SOLAR 2017 2016

Building a 100% Renewable Energy Community

46 th A nnuAl n AtiOnAl S OlAr c Onference DENVER OctOber 9-12 SOLAR 2017 will be held October 9-12, 2017 at the University of Colorado, Denver. SOLAR 2017 is an integral part of the twoweek U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon being held in Denver, Colorado October 5-15, 2017. In addition to our annual National Solar Conference, SOLAR 2017, ASES is working on the Solar Decathlon planning committee to maximize interest in solar energy through sustainability and educational workshops and events.

Building a 100% Renewable Energy Community This conference theme for SOLAR 2017 underscores the connection to the Solar Decathlon — a collegiate competition to design and build small homes that are energy self-sufficient. ASES conferences and the Decathlon are both about building community and sharing knowledge toward a 100% renewable energy world.

SOLAR 2017 welcomes participation particularly in these areas: • Progress to 100% renewable energy - what is working at the local and national levels • Innovations in passive solar design, building science and applications/integration • Technology innovations at the forefront of the renewable energy movement (solar technologies, resource assessment, grid integration, and other related fields) • Education and community building from K-12, college, and beyond (this includes the critical role of renewable energy in climate, air quality, water, food, land use, and all other aspects of sustainable living) • Enabling, inspiring, and advancing careers and contributions of emerging professionals and advocates For more details on SOLAR 2017 and the official call for participation, go to SOLAR2017.org.

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Buses & Shuttles Free Local Shuttle

Back 40 Shuttle

From Stevens Point, Friday - Sunday on the hour.

Leave your car and take our free shuttle to the Fair! Runs every 15 minutes. Get your campsite today at: TheEnergyFair.org

Friday & Saturday: 7:00 a.m. - 11:25 p.m. last drop off leaves the Fair at 10:40 p.m.

Sunday: 7:00 a.m. - 4:25 p.m. last drop off leaves the Fair at 3:40 p.m. :00 Comfort Suites :15 Econo Lodge Inn & Suites :20 Dunham’s Sports :25 Holiday Inn Hotel & Convention Center :40 The Energy Fair

EV charging stations will be available at the Fair!

For more information and to reserve your spot visit: TheEnergyFair.org/ev-charging Visit TheEnergyFair.org/camping-hotels for information about transit, biking, rideshare, and area lodging!

Madison Bus

Milwaukee Bus

SATURDAY, JUNE 17 Tickets are FREE thanks to Sierra Club Wisconsin!

SATURDAY, JUNE 17 Tickets are FREE thanks to Milwaukee Shines and Wisconsin K-12 Energy Education Program (KEEP)/Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education.

Limited to first 55 sign-ups with 30 spots reserved for educators. Register at: TheEnergyFair.org

Register at: http://signup.com/go/wLJVrH We have the following timing and stops planned: •

7:00 a.m. – Depart from Willy St Co-op West, 6825 University Ave. in Middleton. (Please arrive early and park on the street.)

•

7:15 a.m. – Depart from Hilldale parking lot entrance opposite the Great Dane (Park on the top floor of the ramp.)

We have the following timing and stops planned:

•

7:30 a.m. - Depart from UW Chazen Museum on University Ave.

•

6:45 a.m. – Park N Ride near Holt Ave. and I-43/94/41; free parking available.

•

7:45 a.m. – Depart behind Hawthorne Library, 2707 Hermina St.

•

•

8:30 a.m. – Optional pick up in Portage, WI if there are riders.

7:00 a.m. – Milwaukee Train Station (Southeast of I-43/I-794); free street parking may be available in the area; $3 for full day in parking garage.

•

•

9:45 a.m. – Arrive at The Energy Fair.

7:20 a.m. – Wauwatosa (US 45/Watertown. Plank Rd.); free parking available.

•

7:15 p.m. – Depart The Energy Fair to return to Madison.

•

•

10:00 p.m. - Will be back at Willy St. West.

Bus arrives at The Energy Fair 9:45 a.m. and leaves the Fair at 7:15 p.m. Arrives at Mayfair Collection parking lot in Wauwatosa at 9:30 p.m., Milwaukee Train Station at 9:45 p.m., and the Park N Ride near Holt Ave at 10:00 p.m.

Bus schedules are subject to change. For up-to-date information check: TheEnergyFair.org/camping-hotels

Online & In-Person Training!

• • • • • • •

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midwestrenew.org

Solar Photovoltaics Solar Thermal Small Wind NEC Certificate Programs Customized Training & More!

SPECIAL ENERGY FAIR RATE!

Get a full year of The Progressive in print and digital editions for JUST

Subscribe online at www.progressive.org Use code MREA17 to guarantee this great rate!

Human powered Main Stage!

HUMAN POWERED MAIN STAGE by Powered By the People. Join us this year at the Main Stage for human powered keynote speakers and enetertainment thanks to Power by Team of Chicago’s finest Bike Patrol Officers, at Chicago Green Fest. the People who have developed human-powered bicycle equipment! We’ll need volunteers ready to hop on a bicycle and generate power for the Main Stage acts. More information about Power by the People, visit PowerbythePeople.org. Register to be a Main Stage biker at TheEnergyFair.org/volunteer.

$12

a voice for peace, social justice, and the common good – since 1909

Live Music

DAVINA & THE VAGABONDS have created a stir on the national music scene with their highenergy live shows, level A musicianship, sharpdressed professionalism, and commanding stage presence. With influences ranging from Fats Domino and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band to Aretha Franklin and Tom Waits, the band is converting audiences one show at a time. Bring your dancing shoes or no shoes at all and get ready to dance The Energy Fair night away! FRIDAY, JUNE 16 - 9:00 P.M. MAIN STAGE

Visit TheEnergyFair.org for more musical guests featuring: Haley Katrin, Patchouli, Stanton West, Sloppy Joe, and more!

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special Activities

Here are just a few of our special activities planned at The 28th Annual Energy Fair. For a complete listing visit TheEnergyFair.org.

FREE WATER TESTING Bring a sample of your well water and have it tested for nitrate, the most common health-related contaminant found in WI groundwater. Water specialists from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and UW-Extension will be performing free onthe-spot testing in minutes at the Educator Tent between 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. during the Fair.

FAMILY FUN TASTY MEALS

SOLAR HOME TOUR We’re teaming up with North Wind Renewable Energy Cooperative to offer a tour of solar homes in Stevens Point.

Types of systems include: • Ground arrays vs roof arrays • Microinverters vs string inverters vs power optimizers • Urban systems vs rural systems • Sampling of the online monitoring systems • and more!

FRIENDS

Sign up at TheEnergyFair.org or register at The Energy Fair Marketplace. Limited seating. Depart from MREA Bus Stop Saturday, June 17 at 10:00 a.m., return for the 1:00 p.m. keynote.

MASSAGE TENT Massage Tent: OPEN 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Your choice of chair or table massage and reflexology! 20% of profits support MREA. Make your appointment so you don’t miss out.

INSPIRING KEYNOTES SILENT AUCTION Check out the silent auction tent and bid on a variety of items graciously donated by exhibitors, businesses, and MREA supporters.

Sign up to make a tax-deductible donation of your own at TheEnergyFair.org!

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MREA General Member Meeting and Pizza Dinner New this year-we’re moving our General Membership Meeting to Friday Night! Join us Friday, June 16 from 5:30-7 p.m. for wood-fired pizza, farm fresh greens, and solar-brewed beer.

You’ll meet the MREA Board of Directors, hear about market trends, the state of the organization, and the future of MREA from our Executive Director, Nick Hylla. And, you can network with fellow clean energy and sustainability enthusiasts. Tickets include one free drink.

Not an MREA Member but interested in learning more? Please join us! See page 32 for membership information.

Limited tickets available, on sale April 1st.

Members $10. Non-members $20.

MREA DONOR DINNER WITH SPECIAL GUEST JB SRAUBEL All MREA Donors are invited to join us for an evening of fine dining and merrymaking. What better way to wrap up your day at The Energy Fair and show your support for clean energy, then by sharing a delicious meal and lively conversation with your fellow sustainability advocates?

This year’s dinner will be catered by Stack, a family and community-based company forming and following a new regenerative and ecosystem-based food culture. Enjoy beverage pairing with Stack’s flavorful menu.

Tickets are limited; on sale April 1st. Vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options available. MREA Members $40 / NonMembers $50. Proceeds support MREA’s programs and initiatives. Thank you!

YOGA

Saturday, June 17th, 7:00 p.m. Cocktail Hour / 7:45 p.m. Dinner For more information, contact Gina Miresse at 715-592-6595 ext. 113 or ginam@midwestrenew.org.

LIVE MUSIC

SIP A SOLAR-BREWED BEER Looking for a refreshing break at The Energy Fair? Stop by the Beer Tent for a local, solar brewed beer from Central Waters Brewing Co. Located just 9 miles from the Fairgrounds, Central Waters Brewing utilizes solar electric and solar thermal technology for a sustainable brewing process. Pick up your Energy Fair collectible pint glass at the Beer Tent or in the Marketplace. Proceeds benefit MREA programs and initiatives!

DELICIOUS FOOD You will find a range of delicious, regional and world cuisines, with an emphasis on local, organic ingredients. Enjoy farmfresh Organic Valley breakfasts on Sat/Sun and Pancakes for Peace by Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice (Fri).

Throughout the day, visit our food vendors and the MREA Cafe for lunch, snacks, dinner, or coffee to keep you fueled all Fair long.

EARLY-BIRD FOOD VENDORS: ADIRE/SHAMA, Inc. / Glacetier Ice Cream Jamaican Kitchens / Kinstone Kitchen

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Alternative construction & Green Building Learn about high performance building techniques. The Energy Fair offers a variety of ways to improve the efficiency and sustainability of your next project! See techniques in action at one of our live building demonstrations.

WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS • All-Electric Home • Build Your Own Log Furniture From Tree Tops • Building an Affordable Passive House • Energy-Efficient Construction • Finding Affordable Happiness in a Small/Tiny Home • Heating Your Home with a Masonry Mass Stove • Historic Preservation Tax Credits (HPTC) and LEED Standards • Introduction to Passive House • Make Your Own Paints and Finishes • Masonry Heater History and Design • Modern Building of Straw-Clay House Walls • Reduce Soft Costs—Solar in New Construction • Straw Bale Construction in the Midwest • Tie Sustainability and Art into a Remodel Project • Views of Building Green From the Architect & Owners We intend to apply for AIA credits for three of the above workshops thanks to our education partner, Seventhwave. Check back on TheEnergyFair.org for information about credits.

LIVE DEMO HIGHLIGHTS • Cob Pizza Oven • Make Your Own Paints and Finishes

Full Service Design • High Performance Homes and Consulting • Masonry Heaters

• Straw Bale Construction in the Midwest

EARLY-BIRD EXHIBITORS • Gimme Shelter Construction, Inc. • Great Lakes Carpentry, Inc. • Lakeside Advanced Builders • Wholistic Home Solutions, LLC

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Early Bird Tickets at:

Amherst, WI 715-824-7200 TheEnergyFair.org www.gimmeshelter.com

NEW Minnesota Energy Fair Sept. 9-10, Solar Professional Day Sept. 8.

Bio-mass

WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS

Learn how to use organic matter as fuel! The use of biomass energy has the potential to greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Check out some of these great workshops and exhibitors to learn more.

• Bio-Fuels—Lanterns, Stoves, Small Engines, and Autos • Bio-Fuels—Solar Energy Stored by Vegetation • Biogas—Integrating with Solar and Geothermal • Not Your Grandfather’s Wood Stove • Woodchip-Based District Energy Systems

EARLY-BIRD EXHIBITORS • Central Boiler • Earth Sense Energy Systems • Michigan State University-Extension • Solid Rock Masonry

LIVE DEMO HIGHLIGHTS • Biomass Cooking and Pressure Canning • Micro-Scale Biogas for Consumer Use Be sure to check out the Clean Transportation Show and see how folks are using bio-mass to run their vehicles, motorcycles, and more! Details on page 18.

The 28th Annual Energy Fair WI June 16-18

NEW Minnesota Energy Fair Sept. 9-10, Solar Professional Day Sept. 8.

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Clean Transportation

Learn all about energy-efficient travel options at The Clean Transportation Show. The Show features alternative and fuel-efficient vehicles from around the Midwest. From homebrew cars that run on moonshine, to DIY electric bikes, to the latest offerings from Tesla Motors, the Clean Transportation Show holds a multitude of lean-clean-green driving machines!

EARLY-BIRD EXHIBITORS

LIVE DEMO HIGHLIGHTS

• • • • •

• Convert a Bicycle to Electric Assist • Convert a Vehicle to Run on Cooking Oil • Try an E-Bike

Black Box Bikes Crazy Lenny’s E-Bikes, LLC Honda Motorwerks Mark Toyota of Plover The Cargo Bike Shop

WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS • • • • • •

Convert a Vehicle to Run on Cooking Oil E-Bikes—The Future is Now Hydrogen Fuel Cell Economy Potential of Regional Transit Authorities in WI Reality of Vehicle Maintenance and Conversions Tesla’s Clean Energy Solutions

PLUG-IN ELECTRIC VEHICLES (PEV) IN THE MIDWEST:

This workshop brings together Midwest PEV owners and supporters to discuss the state of the PEV market in the Midwest and how we can accelerate the shift to electric transportation.

Saturday, June 17 from 3:30-4:30P.M. in the Main Stage Tent This workshop will be led by the coordinators of the Midwest plug-in vehicle owners’ groups. Find them on facebook! Listed in order of size: MN PEV Owners’ Circle, MN Tesla Club, EV owners of greater Chicago, Milwaukee and NW Indiana, Wisconsin Tesla Owners & Enthusiasts, NE MN Plug-in Vehicle Owners.

Electric vehicle charging At the Energy Fair in Custer, Wisconsin, we provide solar-powered electric car charging stations on the grounds. Fair-goers can drive up and plug in at no additional cost. New this year, we will have an expanded EV charging infrastructure to get you charged up while you are at The Energy Fair.

Schedule your charging time and see up-to-date information at: TheEnergyFair.org/ev-charging

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NEW Minnesota Energy Fair! Sept. 9-10 Solar Professional Day Sept. 8, 2017

Green Mini Demo Derby

The Green Mini Demo Derby brings the worlds of county fairs and alternative energy into collision. Solar-powered remote control cars compete in heats, finishing with a championship showdown. You won’t want to miss this all-ages tournament!

2017 DERBY PARTICIPANTS • • • •

Colectivo Coffee Roasters Full Spectrum Solar JB Straubel for Tesla Midwest Renewable Energy Association • North Wind Renewable Energy • Waterfurnace International • ADD YOUR NAME TO THE LINEUP!

MEET THE ARTIST Milwaukee-based artist Colin Matthes makes each Green Mini Demo Derby car by hand, organizes, and refs the event. Colin is a member of JustSeeds Artist Cooperative.

DO YOU HAVE THE SKILLS? Want to take down 2016’s defending champs, RENEW Wisconsin? Contact: allisonl@midwestrenew.org to sponsor your own car!

Join MREA’s PV+EV Campaign!

For the last 5 years MREA has brought lovers of solar photovoltaics (PV) and electric vehicles (EV) together through our year-round renewable energy tours, free EV charging, and The Energy Fair’s Clean Transportation Show. With hundreds of demonstration vehicles and thousands of attendees, the show makes for good matchmaking. As it turns out, PV and EV are kind of meant for each other and interest in marrying these two technologies keeps growing.

Frankly, this new power couple has a real chance of changing how we think about transportation and energy. And, we want everyone to know it!

Rendering of MREA PV+EV Carport

To make good on this opportunity and in preparation for hosting the largest gathering of electric vehicles in the Midwest, the MREA has made a significant investment in upgrading our electric infrastructure. We are doubling our EV charging capability, expanding the Clean Transportation Show, and are fundraising for a new PV carport to power it all. The solar carport will host the Clean Transportation Show and serve yearround as part of our on-site demonstration and PV technical training labs.

Learn more and help us make this carport a reality at one of these opportunities:

• Daily Workshop 11:00 a.m. in the Red Tent • Member Dinner, Friday, June 16 at 5:30 p.m.

• Donor Dinner, Saturday, June 17 at 7:00 p.m.

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Educator tent

The Educator Tent is co-sponsored by UW-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources and the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education and will provide hands-on activities and demonstrations for educators and the general public.

WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS • • • •

Growing Up Green­—Support Schools’ Efforts Solar Institute for STEM Educators Student STEM Explorations Drive Energy Saving Student-Installed Solar Energy Systems

IN NEED OF CREDIT? The Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education is offering an undergraduate/graduate level course at The Energy Fair!

This course provides educators with a unique opportunity to learn about renewable energy, sustainable living technologies, and applications. Receive hands-on activities, project ideas, and information on sustainability while networking with other educators! For information and registration contact Jamie Mollica at: 715-346-4770 or jmollica@uwsp.edu.

MILWAUKEE AREA EDUCATORS: Hop on a FREE coach bus with other educators on Saturday, June 17 from Milwaukee. Details on page 12.

FREE WATER TESTING The Educator Tent will have water specialists from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and UWExtension testing water between 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Bring a sample of your well water! See page 14 for more information.

EARLY-BIRD EXHIBITORS: Conserve School / Madison College / Mid-State Technical College /

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Northeast Wisconsin Technical College / Tomorrow River Community Charter School / WI State Wood Energy Team, University of Wisconsin / Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education and UW-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources

Rainbow’s End

DAVID STOKES & THE FROG CHORUS

The Rainbow’s End workshop tent, organized by Tomorrow River Community Charter School, is filled throughout the day with a wide variety of topics for children of all ages.

Families are free to learn and play together in a positive and fun environment. Please accompany your child at all times.

Sing songs, see puppets, and learn all about nature and the frogs that live in WI with awardwinning educator David Stokes!

WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS

KIDS’ PERFORMER TOM PEASE

• Fabulous Frogs • Make Your Own Journals from Ellie Pooh • Make Your Own Non-Toxic Paint • Make Your Own Non-Toxic Play Dough • Sensational Snakes • Souped-Up Sand Castles and Mud-Pies • Sustainable Singing • Terrific Turtles • The Three Friends and Climate Change Puppet Show

Kids of all ages—be prepared to laugh, sing, and dance along with Tom Pease. Bring the whole family! Tom creates concerts that leave audiences laughing and singing.

AERIALISTS FLY HIGH AT MREA! Enjoy unique entertainment from Stevens Point’s Monarch Aerial Arts. Aerialists will dance and fly through the air on aerial silks, trapeze, lyra, and hammock. Monarch Aerial Arts.

YOGA FOR KIDS AND FAMILY

Have fun; cultivate balance and harmony with the whole family. Enjoy yoga poses that almost anyone can do. (All ages) Marguerite Ramlow, Co-owner, Artha Sustainable Living Center, LLC and Artha Yoga Studios.

SEAFARING PUPPETO

Set sail on a marionette puppet merry-time adventure set to live music. You’LL meet Sea Hags, Pirates, Vikings, Narwhals, Mermaids and more. The music will be performed on a 100-yearold, off-grid, pump organ and a banjo.

See page 30 for details on NEW Minnesota Energy Fair Sept. 9-10, Solar Professional Day Sept. 8, 2017!

21

energy efficiency & conservation

economics & finance

Learn how to use less energy in your everyday life! Discover products and techniques that use less energy which in turn reduces greenhouse gas emissions, helps protect the environment, and improves the quality of our air. Energy-efficient solutions can save homeowners and businesses 20 to 30 percent on their energy bill!

Utilizing energy efficient upgrades, conservation methods, and renewable energy can save home and business owners a bundle. Learn about the different incentives available, how to calculate solar payback, and ways to invest sustainably.

WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS • • • • • • • • •

Big Air—Avoid Air Leaks in Buildings Comfortable and Energy Efficient Buildings Energy Independence—Stories from a 1960 House How Renewable Energy Can Improve Grid Efficiency Payback from Solar and Conservation Retrofit v. Replace: Window Solutions Road to Zero Energy Over Building Lifespan Tales from the House—Energy Audits The Reality of Energy Efficient Lighting

EARLY-BIRD EXHIBITORS • • • • • • •

22

Accurate-Airtight Exteriors AHT Wisconsin Windows Exquisite Windows and Doors Midwestern Solutions Mitchell’s Heating & Cooling TF Forming Systems, Inc. WaterFurnace International, Inc.

• Historic Preservation Tax Credits (HPTC) and LEED Standards • Investing Sustainably • Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Wisconsin: Investing in Local Economies

EARLY-BIRD EXHIBITORS • Custom Financial Strategies • Evergreen Credit Union

Check out MREA’s Grow Solar work, helping communities go solar affordably with Solar Group Buy Programs! www.GrowSolar.org

Phone: 920-893-8388

www.archelec.com

Arch Electric is Southeast Wisconsin’s leader for solar PV energy. We offer systems that range from simple grid tied, self-consumption with energy storage, and off grid solutions, all with expert analysis and design using NABCEP certified personal. We specialize in custom build solutions that generate more power.

Arch Electric has lending agreements in place allowing home and business owners to finance their solar installation.

See our complete product line, images of our work, testimonials from satisfied customers, and schedule your free solar site assessment today at: www.archelec.com

23 The 28th Annual Energy Fair WI June 16-18

NEW Minnesota Energy Fair Sept. 9-10, Solar Professional Day Sept. 8.

Sustainable living Learn all about the many ways you can incorporate sustainability into your lifestyle in an effort to preserve our planet for future generations. The Energy Fair offers a variety of workshops, demonstrations, and exhibitors to learn from!

WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Basic Blacksmithing Using Homemade Charcoal Beginning and Intermediate Yoga Build a Pervious Driveway, Walkway, or Patio from Cobblestones Choosing Herbal Remedies for Sustainability Corpses to Combustion: A Fossil Fuel History Electromagnetic Exposure 2017 Update Electromagnetic Exposure—Exploring Case Studies End of Life Ecology—Green Burials Fermented Foods for Health Fishing for Dinner: Knot-Tying, Identification, and Lures Green or Not—Daily Life and Product Use Herbs and Fermentation for Digestive Health Install Antenna for Free TV & DIY Digital Video Recorder (DVR) Pesticides: Health Research and Water Impact Pressure Canning Basics Restoring 500-acre Native-Habitat with Renewable Power Sustainability in Art—Catalyst for Change The Perils of the Apparel Industry Waste Reduction in the Home

EXTENDED WORKSHOP • Herbal First Aid: (three hours) $30 Ticket online at TheEnergyFair.org or available at the MREA Marketplace at the Fair.

LIVE DEMONSTRATION HIGHLIGHTS • • • •

All Things Coffee Electromagnetic Exposure from Wiring Fishing for Dinner Hands-On Sourdough Pizza Crust

local food. sustainable community.

vist us at the fair.

EARLY-BIRD EXHIBITORS

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Alice’s Rabbit Whole / Baabaashop, LLC / CDL Wisconsin, Roth Sugarbush / Cutco / Grandma Dotties Dips / Green Planet Rain Barrels, LLC, Staving the Planet / Inn Serendipity Farm and B&B / Kitchen Craft / LeafFilter North of Wisconsin, Inc. / Linda & Gene Farley Center for Peace, Justice, and Sustainability / Massage Tent / Moonwise Herbs, LLC / NES Ecological Services / Northern Sun Merchandising / RedBudSuds / RJK Enterprises HybridLights / SilverFire Disaster and Recreation Stoves & Cookware, LLC / Smude Oil, Kowalzek Soothing Salves / Soap Nut Lady / Stevens Point Area Co-op / The Eco Purse Project / U Can Click It / Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

The 28th Annual Energy Fair WI June 16-18

Mon–Fri 9-8 Sat–Sun 10-5 633 Second Street, Stevens Point 715-341-1555

NEW Minnesota Energy Fair Sept. 9-10, Solar Professional Day Sept. 8.

Sustainable farm & garden

Does your green thumb need some inspiration? Network and learn from farmers, master gardeners, bee keepers, seed savers, horticulturists, agriculturists, permaculturists and more! Learn everything from tree tapping and composting to starting your own farmstead kitchen.

WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Advanced Backyard Composting Arbor Care—Pruning and Maintenance of Urban Trees Backyard Composting Basics Eating Year-Round from the Garden Farmstead Chef: Organic Eating on a Dime Frozen Assets: WI Summer in your Freezer!

Growing Your Own Fruit Trees in Hostile Climates Launch your Organic Farm Dream Processing Maple Sap into Maple Syrup Sustainable Living Simplified Tools and Techniques for Light-Footprint Gardens Try “Yardening” with Mother Nature!

Vegetable Seed Saving Part I Vegetable Seed Saving Part II Year-Round Indoor Salad Gardening

EARLY-BIRD EXHIBITORS

Everyone welcome!

Fresh. Local.

Organic. Yours! www.willystreet.coop

• • • • • • • •

B&E’s Trees Century Sun Oil, LLC KAR Enterprises MI Greenhouse Organic Valley Breakfasts Urbal Tea Wisconsin Farmers Union Wisconsin Sustainable Aquaculture

Don’t forget to check out the variety of creative, locally crafted, and home grown items in our artisan market!

We recommend bringing a bag, or cooler to keep your goodies in during the Fair!

Visit: TheEnergyFair.org for more information!

25 The 28th Annual Energy Fair WI June 16-18

NEW Minnesota Energy Fair Sept. 9-10, Solar Professional Day Sept. 8.

Community InvolvemeNt & Activism Get involved and make an impact on local and global issues related to the environment, climate change, and social justice!

WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

An Olive Agenda—Economics, Ecology and Faith Become an Effective Climate Advocate Climate Justice and Food Sovereignty Communication Skills for Sustaining Relations Community Clean Energy Leadership Community of Relationships Community-Led Clean Energy Action Cradle to the Grave—Fracking and Tar Sands Effective Citizen Action Against Oil Trains Energy Democracy—Participatory Discussion Energy Report Card for Utilities and MG&E Rating Engage Public Opinion—Documentary Filmmaking Interfaith Solar Peer Learning Initiative Moving Beyond Coal Nuclear Power Realities and Climate Chaos Organizing for Clean Energy The Renewable Energy of Your Inner Self Using a Creative Business for Earth Advocacy

Rise Up! EARLY-BIRD EXHIBITORS • • • • • • • • • • • •

Backwoods Home Magazine Citizens Climate Lobby Democratic Party of Wisconsin Family Farm Defenders Ice Age Trail Alliance Midwest Renewable Energy Association Nukewatch RENEW Wisconsin Self-Reliance Magazine Sierra Club - John Muir Chapter Waterfalling in Wisconsin Author Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters

WIND

Professional Development

WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS

WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS

• Fall Protection and Safety for Tower Work • Intro to Wind • Mythbusting—What You Need to Know Before Buying a Small Wind Turbine • Wind Site Assessment

• • • • •

EXTENDED WORKSHOP

• Homebrew Wind: (three hours) $30 Ticket online at TheEnergyFair.org or available at the MREA Marketplace at the Fair.

EARLY-BIRD EXHIBITOR • LoTec Windmill Service • Otherpower.com

26

Building a Solar Market through Solarize Programs How to Design and Build a PV Lab Launch a Food Business from Your Home Kitchen Wisconsin Renewable Energy Policy Reduce Soft Costs—Solar in New Construction See page 29 for Solar Professional Offerings and NABCEP Credits.

See page 16 for Alternative Construction and Green Building AIA credit information.

If your favorite subject was all of them.

89.1 FM 930AM

wpr.org

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Solar Electric

WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Advanced PV Commercial Solar PV Economics DIY Portable Solar—Fits on Apartment Balcony DIY Solar Garage—Power a House and Car Electromagnetic Interference—The Basics Financing PV Systems for Tax Exempt Organizations Introduction to Aquion Battery Maximizing PV Value and Utility Rate Plans (Residential and Commercial) Off-Grid Cabins PV for Domestic Hot Water and Backup Power PV for Your Home Residential Solar Electric Systems Selecting an Installer, Facts, and Expectations Solar Revolution—Growth and Trends When and Why You Should Work with an Engineer

EXTENDED WORKSHOP • Energy Storage and Renewable Energy ($30 Ticket online at TheEnergyFair.org or available at the MREA Marketplace at the Fair.)

EARLY-BIRD EXHIBITORS Alternative Trends, LLC / Eagle Point Solar / EJOT Fastening Systems L.P. / Energize, LLC / Full Spectrum Solar / GigaWatt, Inc. - SunJack / Inovateus Solar / Lake Michigan Wind and Sun, Ltd. / Morningstar Corporation / NECA Chicago and IBEW Local Union #134 / Next Energy Solution, Inc. / North Wind Renewable Energy Cooperative / PacketFlux Technologies / Photovoltaic Systems, LLC / Rolls Battery Engineering / U.S. Solar Mounts, Corp / Wellspring Renewable Energy / Werner Electric Supply / Werner Electric, Minnesota / Wisconsin Clean Energy

Solar Thermal

WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS • High Mass Sand Beds and Solar Thermal Storage • Hybrid Heating and Cooling—Energy from Well Water and Solar • Intro to Solar Hot Water • The Solar Greenhouse

EARLY-BIRD EXHIBITOR • Practical Solar

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NEW Minnesota Energy Fair Sept. 9-10, Solar Professional Day Sept. 8.

CECs for Solar Professionals Advance your solar professional development at The Energy Fair through continuing education opportunities, advanced workshops, and MREA trainings. Get your NABCEP continuing education credits at one place, while networking with others in the solar industry. Receive topnotch education at an affordable rate in a fun and relaxing environment! View the 2017 solar professional workshop schedule at TheEnergyFair.org.

Solar Professional Workshops sponsored by:

EXTENDED WORKSHOP • 2017 NEC Changes for Renewables ($30 Ticket online at TheEnergyFair.org or available at the MREA Marketplace at the Fair.)

Sizing Energy Storage Systems with Lead Acid Batteries MREA Solar Professional Building Saturday, June 17th 11 AM CST

NEW Minnesota Energy Fair Sept. 9-10, Solar Professional Day Sept. 8! See page 30.

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a i r F M y g innesota r e n E e h T

New!

The Energy Fair Is So Nice We Are Doing it Twice!

We can barely contain our excitement about hosting The Energy Fair in St. Paul, Minnesota from September 8-10, 2017. Taking place at the beautiful Harriet Island Park directly across the river from downtown St. Paul, the outdoor event will bring you all of the great education and entertainment as our flagship Fair in Wisconsin. With the passage of the Minnesota Solar Energy Jobs Act in 2013, the Gopher State has established itself as a leader in clean energy development. With 131 companies as part of the supply chain for solar and wind projects and the potential for $6 billion in new investments in clean energy, Minnesota is reaping the benefits of a growing clean energy economy. And, the numbers show it: 250MW of new solar energy was installed in Minnesota in 2016 representing the biggest gains of any Midwest state!

Over the past 5 years, the MREA has worked with partners across the state of Minnesota to advance solar energy education and training programs. The Energy Fair will bring all of those partners and programs together to help Minnesota homes, businesses, and communities access resources and networks to advance their clean energy, efficiency, and sustainability goals.

We hope to see you there!

-Nick Hylla Executive Director, MREA

Free & Open To The Public!

Admission to workshops, exhibits, clean transportation show, and family friendly activities is FREE and open to the public! All Access Passes are available to enjoy featured speakers, live entertainment, and solar professional workshops.

100+ Workshops - Presented by topic

80+ Exhibits - Showcasing clean energy

and sustainable living goods and services.

Clean Transportation Show - Check out

a wide range of environmentally friendly means of travel. View the latest in electric vehicles, ride share programs, electric bikes, and learn how to convert your motorcycle or vehicle to run on bio-mass!

Family Friendly - Bring the whole family for a

fun-filled weekend of clean energy and sustainable activities!

The 28th Annual Energy Fair WI June 16-18

All Access Passes

experts on subjects ranging from: renewable energy, alternative construction, energy efficiency, sustainable living, urban gardening, community involvement, activism, and more!

30

Get the Full Energy Fair Experience with an All Access Pass: includes keynotes, entertainment, and solar professional workshops!

Early Bird tickets on sale April 1 - July 24.

EARLY BIRD

FRONT GATE

Adult Weekend Pass........$22

$25

Senior (65+) / Student Weekend Pass..................$14

$18

Youth (13-18) Weekend Pass..................$14

$18

Adult 1-Day Pass..............$12

$15

Senior (65+) / Student Day Pass............................$ 8

$10

Youth (13-18) Day Pass....$ 8

$10

Entertainment Only Evening Pass.....................$10 $10 (after 5p.m.) Entertainment included with day and weekend passes.

FREE ALL ACCESS PASSES for: Kids 12 and under / MREA Members Hardcore Volunteers (12+ hours) www.TheEnergyFair.org/volunteer

Join as an MREA MEMBER! (page 32)

NEW Minnesota Energy Fair Sept. 9-10, Solar Professional Day Sept. 8.

Minnesota Energy Fair

Advisory Committee Members MAGGIE KOZAK, Clean Energy Resource Teams

The Clean Energy Resource Teams—or CERTs—are a statewide partnership with a shared mission to connect individuals and their communities to the resources they need to identify and implement community-based clean energy projects. cleanenergyresourceteams.org

MEGAN VAN LOH, Climate Generation

Climate Generation: A Will Steger Legacy empowers individuals and their communities to engage in solutions to climate change. climategen.org

BRITT GANGENESS and JEFF STUHR, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

RAMY SELIM, Sunny Day Earth Solutions

Sunny Day Earth Solutions is an environmental nonprofit dedicated to raising awareness of sustainable living and construction. Our mission is to bring sustainability to a wider audience through education, demonstrations and consultations. sunnydaymn.com

BARBARA PORWIT, Community Board Member

Barbara has attended The Energy Fair since its first year on the Amherst fairgrounds. She was deeply influenced by vegetable gardening and energy efficiency in her Mother Earth News upbringing. She couldn’t be happier that MREA is coming to St. Paul!

Fair Map

Harriet Island Park, St. Paul, MN.

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) works to protect and improve the environment and enhance human health. pca.state.mn.us

DOUG SHOEMAKER, Minnesota Renewable Energy Society

MRES is a member-run, 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in Minneapolis in 1978 and incorporated in Minnesota in 1979 to promote the use of, and to engage in advocacy for, renewable energies in Minnesota through education and through the demonstration of practical applications. mnrenewables.

DANIELLE BUTENHOFF, Neighborhood Energy Connection

The Neighborhood Energy Connection (NEC) is a 30-year-old Saint Paul-based nonprofit organization that provides energy conservation information, services and programs to residents and communities across Minnesota. thenec.org/

Fri., Sept. 8, Solar Professional Day Sat., Sept 9, 9a.m. - 10p.m.

Sun., Sept 10, 9a.m. - 5p.m.

Harriet Island Park 200 Dr. Justus Ohage Blvd.

St. Paul, MN 55107

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Become a Proud Member

Together We are Moving Renewable Energy Education Forward!

The Energy Fair is hosted by the Midwest Renewable Energy Association (MREA). MREA was established as a nonprofit in 1990 shortly after the first Energy Fair with the mission to promote renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable living through education and demonstration. Join as a member and support our efforts in...

Building a Solar Market Providing LongTerm Benefits to Communities Through our Grow Solar Initiative, we’ve presented to 2,200 people about renewable energy, directly resulting in 1.5 MW of clean solar energy installed!

Providing Market Relevant Renewable Energy Training In 2016 we taught over 70 online and in-person courses to 1260 students on topics in Solar Electric (PV), Solar Thermal, and Small Wind Energy.

Fostering Community Involvement and Membership Support We currently have over 2,000 business and individual members supporting clean energy and sustainable living. We hope you’ll help us grow our membership base in Minnesota!

Stay tuned for member events and socials happening at The Minnesota Energy Fair.

BUSINESS MEMBERSHIP AVAILABLE: visit midwestrenew.org/membership PERSONAL MEMBERSHIP LEVEL BASIC Senior/Student $30

Individual $50

Family $70

• Admission to The Energy Fair ($35-$70 value) • Monthly e-newsletter, eReNews • Semiannual newsletter, ReNews • Discount on MREA courses ($20 off each course) • Free enrollment in MREA’s online, on-demand intro courses • 10% off MREA Marketplace • Window decal/bumper sticker • Voting privileges at board elections

EMPOWERED Individual $80

Family $100

• Basic benefits, plus: • 1-year subscription to Home Power, Mother Earth News, or Mother Earth Living (up to $25 value) • MREA organic cotton T-shirt made in USA, available at The Energy Fair WI ($20 value)

JOIN AS A MEMBER TODAY! Visit: midwestrenew.org/membership

LIFETIME Individual $500

Family $750

• Basic Benefits, plus: • Lifetime admission to The Energy Fair and pre-Fair networking dinner ($50 - $100 value each year) • Special MREA glass tumbler ($15 value) • Lifetime Member Certificate for framing • MREA T-shirt for first year, available at The Energy 32 Fair ($20 - $40 value)

H E A L T H Y

L I V I N G

H E A L T H Y

P L A N E T

feel good • live simply • laugh more

Your Healthy Lifestyle Multimedia Resource in Print, Online and Mobile Natural Awakenings Milwaukee

414-841-8693

NaturalMilwaukee.com

CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING designers of the energy fair

HYPE VISUAL is a graphic communications company specializing in conceptual graphic design and strategic marketing for forward-thinking businesses and community organizations.

the design office at

+ hypevisual.com

offbeatpress.com