This year our major research project is a DIY solar water heating system that will provide both domestic hot water and space heating. As these two activities account for the majority of domestic energy use, they are low-hanging fruit for cutting our use of fossil fuels. We will be building and experimenting with approachable solar panel designs and anyone interested in learning more or getting their hands a little dirty is welcome to join us for a series of upcoming workshops.
We will be holding two workshops on DIY Solar Water Heating. On July 29th from 1:00-4:00 p.m., we’ll be focusing on the basic principles of solar water heating and looking at experimental solar panel designs you could build yourself. On August 12th from 1:00-4:00 p.m., the workshop will have a briefer overview of solar water heating followed by a hands-on component as we build a solar panel. Both sessions will be held at the Low Technology Institute in Historic Cooksville. Sessions are free for members (memberships start at $35/year) but a $10 donation is appreciated from nonmembers. Space may be limited, so please RSVP and include your name, phone number, and which session(s) you’d like to attend, all sent to lowtechinstitute@gmail.com. You can donate online for the basic or intermediate workshops or pay by cash, check, or card on the day.