NORWICH – The Chenango Community Action for Renewable Energy group, C-CARE, will hold the first of three forums about the benefits of switching homes and businesses to solar energy at 6:30 p.m. on March 29 at the Morrisville State College Norwich Campus.
The first forum will include a presentation by Todd Paternoster, the head of solar thermal training design and project manager for National Solar Trainers. He has also co-authored the textbook “Solar Hot Water Fundamentals.”
Paternoster will discuss solar energy for homeowners as well as the basics of residential hot water and PV systems.
“Having these forums is a very exciting way of linking people together in the community,” said C-CARE chairperson Ken Fogarty. “It will be nice for people to see that there are other shows in town besides the gas industry issue.”
C-CARE has been showing movies which focus on clean air and water, social justice, war and peace issues, and numerous environmental concerns once a month for the last six years. Fogarty explained that with steadily rising attendance, it was time for the group to expand its programs.
“Our goal is to work with the county and find the best way to help each other raise awareness of environmental sustainability,” he said.
The second forum will take place on April 26 when Dr. Gay Canough, a former NASA physicist, will do a workshop about solar farms and receiving subsidies and grants to put in solar energy projects.
Jan Myers, a sustainable energy student at SUNY Morrisville and the founder of Solarize Madison County, will speak on May 22 about working with local government and the planning department to make an impact on the amount of solar power in the area.
“We’d like to eventually create a Solarize Chenango based on what she’s done in Madison,” said Fogarty, adding that he hoped to continue the forums past May.
The forums will be free and open to the public.
For more information, contact 334-6095 or visit chenangocare.org.