Navigating Our Future Energy Forum

Navigating Our Future (NOF) is sponsoring an energy forum led by an experienced panel of local and regional specialists on Orcas Island October 9, in the Orcas High School cafeteria, from 1:00-5:00pm.

The day’s activities will begin with Eric Youngren, of Rainshadow Solar, who will provide a pre-forum tour of a unique solar collection installation on Orcas that produces green power for Orcas Power & Light Cooperative (OPALCO) members.

People who wish to go on the tour from San Juan Island can take the 8:25am boat, and folks from Lopez can take the 9:35 or the 9:55, which also stops at Shaw. Everyone will meet at the Rainshadow Solar Office, a five-minute drive from the ferry. Call 376-5336 for directions. The tour will be from 11:00-12:15. Feel free to bring a sack lunch.

Participants from Lopez and Shaw who only want to attend the forum can take the 9:55am, and those from San Juan Island can catch the 11:40 boat. The forum will begin at 1:00pm with a 1 1/2 hour panel discussion followed by a 20-minute question and answer period.

Eric Youngren will kick off the panel discussion with an introduction to energy issues in the San Juan Islands.

Randy Cornelius, OPALCO manager, will then present an overview of OPALCO’s electric energy services and view of the future. Randy will also address OPALCO’s green power and rebate programs. Martha Warachowski, who handles these programs, will be available to answer questions as well.

Youngren will discuss the idea of creating a Green Power Producers’ Co-op. Mike Nelson, of Northwest Solar Center in Seattle, will provide an overview of Photovoltaics in Washington state, covering incentives, “Green Tags,” why local green energy is worth more than big wind farms on the Columbia, and the potential to build a local Renewable Energy industry.

Kyle Davies, of San Juan Island Fire Prevention District, and Frank Childers, of the federal Energy Star program, will discuss energy efficiency and the idea of developing a program that helps citizens run their own energy audits and select the best, most efficient fixtures and appliances.

Steve Simpson, of the Port of Friday Harbor, will look at how islanders can develop environmentally friendly, energy-efficient transportation options for marine, farm, and public and private transportation applications.

Finally, Mike Fowler, an architect with Mithun Architects+Designers+Planners in Seattle, a national leader in sustainable design, will be discussing energy-efficient home construction and remodeling design.

Following the question and answer period participants will break into action groups around each of these topics, led by one of the speakers. Each group will then summarize its work with all of the attendees.

All speakers will be asked to provide hand-outs summarizing their ideas. The goal is to provide attendees with action-oriented and/or valuable information that they can apply in their action group. Some of the speakers’ information will be available on the NOF website, www.navigatingourfuture.org, prior to the event, and immediately following the forum all of the summaries and additional information will be available online. Please visit NOF’s website, send an email to info@navigating ourfuture.org, or call 360-378-3123 for more information.

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