Solar energy for your home or business is the focus of a free workshop presented by the Center for Ecological Technology (CETsm) to highlight solar energy and exciting new funding opportunities. Anyone who is curious about what’s involved in using the power of the sun is encouraged to attend the informational workshop, which will be presented in North Adams on Thursday, March 2nd at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, at the Sullivan Lounge in the Amsler Center.
Registration will begin at 6:30 p.m. The workshop will start promptly at 7 p.m. and will end by 9:00 p.m. Chris Vreeland, a registered professional engineer, will be the featured speaker. The workshop is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is encouraged.
Skyrocketing energy costs and concern about the effects of fossils fuels on our health and environment are leading many people to conserve and seek local, clean sources of energy. Over the past two years, dozens of solar electric systems have been installed on homes, schools and public buildings in the Berkshires, and there is growing interest are in solar hot water systems.
CET’s workshop is a way to find out if a solar energy system is a good fit. Those who attend will learn the basics of using energy from the sun to create electricity or heat water. They will also learn how solar panels work, the components of a solar electric system, how to determine whether they have a good site and how to gain additional benefits through energy efficient improvements. Also covered will be average prices for solar electric and solar hot water systems, and how to find local contractors who install systems. The workshop will showcase systems that have recently been installed in the Berkshires.
A highlight of the workshop will be information about financial incentives available from Massachusetts and the federal government. Mr. Vreeland will give an overview of those incentives and will summarize a new program offered by the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative to help homeowners and small businesses pay for renewable energy systems.
Please pre-register if you are interested in attending. To find out more or to pre-register, contact Cynthia Grippaldi, at 413-445-4556 ext. 25 or email Nancy at: nancyn@cetonline.org. For those who can’t attend the North Adams event, the solar energy workshop will be repeated on April 4th at Simon’s Rock College in Great Barrington.
CET is a non-profit energy and resource conservation organization that has served western Massachusetts since 1976. CET receives funding from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. CET is an equal opportunity service provider. This workshop is made possible through grant funding from the U.S. Department of Energy and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
Your Comments
iBerkshires.com welcomes critical, respectful dialogue. Name-calling, personal attacks, libel, slander or foul language is not allowed. All comments are reviewed before posting and will be deleted or edited as necessary.
No Comments
Dalton Day Returns This Saturday
By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The town's popular Dalton Day festival is returning this weekend after a year's hiatus.
The event will kick off this Saturday at 11 a.m. and runs until 4 p.m. in the field in front of the Senior Center.
The community celebration was established in 2023 by the Cultural Council in an effort to increase resident participation at town meetings while also showcasing the area's welcoming, diverse, artistic and sporty atmosphere. In 2024, the event brought together 300 residents.
"The primary mission of Dalton Day is to foster a strong sense of community, build civic pride, and bring residents together through a shared celebration of local culture, music, and food," said Jeannie Ingram, Select Board member and cultural council chair, and Lori Venezia, executive assistant to the town manager.
The event provides an accessible and free platform for "civic education, community bonding, and supporting local businesses, artisans, makers, and culture more broadly," they said.
The festival strengthens the fabric of the town both civically and economically by connecting grassroots organizations with residents, fostering a shared sense of belonging, and providing free, family-friendly entertainment.
It also serves as an opportunity for community members to meet with local officials and a couple of state officials. State Sen. Paul Mark and state Rep. Leigh Davis will be coming from Beacon Hill to speak at the event.
Cassidy Flynn scattered five hits in a complete-game effort in the circle as Lenox upset top-seeded Hoosac Valley, 3-2, in the quarter-finals of the Division 5 State Tournament. click for more
Brayden Durant struck out seven and walked one in a complete-game effort on the mound Saturday to pitch the Drury baseball team to a 6-0 win over Keefe Tech in the quarter-finals of the Division 5 State Tournament at Joe Wolfe Field. click for more
Jason Codey struck out 13, walked two and allowed just an infield single as the Generals earned a 7-1 win over Wahconah to claim their third straight regional title. click for more
Gracelyn Wright struck out eight, and Genevieve Lagess went 3-for-5 with four runs batted in as the Hurricanes beat Monson, 17-3, to claim their first Western Mass title in four years. click for more
