Renewable Energy Demonstration Area

East end, outside of Grandstand

See some of the latest home renewable energy innovations – save money and benefit the environment at the same time!

Related: Workshops and exhibits on energy and transportation

Got Sun? Go Solar

Whether it is for producing electricity, hot water or passive lighting, renewable power from the sun can both save money and protect the environment. The Living Green Expo will feature live demonstrations and working devices.

Solar Hot-water Systems

Installing a solar hot-water system is one of the most cost-effective ways to incorporate renewable energy into your home. “Thanks to energy cost savings, payback on investment in one of these systems can occur in as little as six to eight years,” says Doug Shoemaker of the Minnesota Renewable Energy Society. See working versions of several different systems and learn from knowledgeable reps.

• A live demonstration of a solar thermal system will provide running hot water from a faucet and a shower throughout the event. (Bubbling Springs Solar, Inc.)
• See displays of operating solar thermal systems: an evacuated-tube solar panel for cold weather, low light (Sun Energy), and a radiant floor-heating system that utilizes hot water from a solar thermal system (SolarSkies).
• Solar space heating. See how a greenhouse effect uses materials such as glass to trap heat from the sun within the confines of a conservatory or "sunspace" to heat your home and significantly cut heating costs. (Energy Conservation Products & Services)

Electricity

See how you can generate electricity from the sun to help power your electrical devices.

• Photovoltaic solar panels will operate live, collecting sunlight during the Expo and generating electricity for the event. (Sun Energy)

The Power of Wind

When the wind blows, small wind turbines can provide electricity to the most remote areas (like a cabin or a sailboat), or simply a home that is connected to an electric utility.

Visitors to the Living Green Expo will have an opportunity see live demonstrations of different sized wind turbines supplied by Sun Energy—fully operational and "tied into the grid" (the existing electrical system) to provide power for the Expo! Come watch the electric meter spin backwards.

• 10kW Ventera grid-tied wind turbine
• 1.8kW SkyStream grid-tied wind turbine
• 400w AirX wind turbine for residential backyards
• 2kW Vertical wind turbine

Learn about how to site a wind turbine and find out if wind power is right for your cabin or home. See Minnesota wind maps (WindLogics).

Local companies will be available throughout the Expo to answer your questions—everything from space requirements and local planning or zoning concerns to determining which model is right for your home.