In celebration of the last day of summer, solar energy will be on display in neighborhoods across Seattle this Saturday, Sept. 21.
Freemont Coffee has solar panels that heat their water and others that generate electricity.
In celebration of the last day of summer, solar energy will be on display in neighborhoods across Seattle this Saturday, Sept. 21.
The Seattle Solar Tour will feature homeowners who have installed rooftop solar electric systems, solar hot water systems, and other energy saving features, as well as electric vehicles. This free, self-paced tour will showcase 59 homes across the region, representing work by seven different local installation companies. Maps and information are available at the Northwest SEED website: www.nwseed.org.
Over 1,000 Seattle City Light customers have chosen to install solar electric or hot water systems on their homes, and many are eager to share their experience with others. The Solar Tour offers interested customers a chance to talk directly with neighbors who have gone solar and see for themselves how solar works in Seattle.
To kick off the Tour, Seattle City Light is sponsoring two kick-off informational sessions – one at the Ballard Library and one at the Jefferson Community Center in Beacon Hill. The kick-off will feature a presentation on Solar in Seattle, with a chance to ask questions of solar experts and pick up maps for the neighborhood tours.
The Solar Tour kick-off runs from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. in both locations. The self-led tours will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Solar tour stops.
In addition, several local installation companies are hosting an open house as part of the Solar Tour. Tourists can see an array of solar equipment up close and meet the people involved, at Northwest Mechanical, Artisan Electric, Puget Sound Solar, and West Seattle Natural Energy.
The Seattle Solar Tour series will feature a regional roster of homes, as well as six neighborhood routes—one each in Wallingford, Phinney Ridge, Ballard, Central, South and West Seattle. Participants are welcome to visit sites across the Seattle region, or take a local tour – many of them are walkable. A master list of all tour sites and maps of each neighborhood tour route are available at www.nwseed.org.
About Northwest SEED: Northwest SEED is a non-profit organization that empowers community scale clean energy through expert guidance that combines technical support, community education and practical implementation. www.nwseed.org.