I think I may have mentioned some time ago that the folks at Google were working on a video piece about Dave Strenski and his work through Solar Ypsi. Well, the piece is now online and it’s pretty incredible… Congratulations to Dave and everyone else who has pitched in over these past few years to help make his vision a reality.
I’m glad to have such nice (and creative!) neighbors, and I’m so pleased that Google decided to pick up this great local story and give it some much-deserved national attention. Thanks to Corinne, for the idea — and to Dave, for making it happen. Fun to see Mayor Schreiber in there, too, promoting Ypsilanti!
Germany gets less sun that Michigan, and they get a fairly sizable percentage of their energy from solar. They’ve been able to do that because of something called feed-in tariffs. Essentially the government says that, if you generate power from green sources, they’ll buy it from you at a set rate. The result has been incredible growth in solar and wind installation. If we were serious about getting away from coal in the United States we’d do the same thing.
Jennifer Granholm, the former governor of Michigan, has a story she likes to tell about the Chinese. Granholm visited China in March. At one meet-and-greet, a Chinese official buttonholed her and asked when the U.S. was going to implement a national energy policy. By her own account, Granholm hemmed and hawed, mentioning the rise of the Tea Party and the inability of the current Congress “to get its act together.”
Granholm and I are sitting in a corner office of a building on the University of California at Berkeley campus, where Granholm is spending a year of “sabbatical.” She leans over her desk, looks me in the eye, and demonstrates how the the Chinese official rubbed his hands together like a kid unable to contain his glee right before unwrapping Christmas presents. “‘Take your time,’ he tells me,” says Granholm. “‘Take your time.'”
She shakes her head as if in disbelief at how short-sighted the American political establishment has become. Her point is obvious, and oft-repeated during the course of our interview: In a globalized world, the U.S. economy will not thrive unless we get serious about targeting strategically important sectors of the economy. The rest of the world is playing the economic development game for keeps, while the U.S. seems willing to abandon the board all together.
We’ve already led Germany and Scandinavia 20-year head starts on energy. Glad we’re willing to give China the same deal.
For a town of 20 some thousand, it would seem we have a relatively high percentage of folks doing some pretty amazing shit. Overreaching potential. I would hate to leave such a place. I’d feel rather alone.
For tact, we might need to wait twenty or thirty years before we add Dave and Corinne along side Elijah McCoy in the Depot Town hall of fame. (No doubt Mark will be inducted, eventually, as a wonderful vociferous footnote.) I am delighted to be a small part of this town. I’m grateful to shop at the coop, read Mark, and share life with neighbors.
And, I persist to think we, as a community, surpass our demographic potential in orders of magnitude.
1) Dave and collaborators: Thank you. You, and your ilk are a big part of why I love living here, and why I want to raise my children here.
2) I’d match Ypsi, ounce for ounce of caring communal, creative productivity, against any town. Portland =583,776 residents: Ypsilanti = 22,362. First, define “potential.” Next, calculate potential achieved per population. Then, figure whether Portland (or wherever) is a place that best fosters (still undefined) potential. (I would love a discussion of what human potential is).
3) My thesis is that small towns like Ypsi, with relatively few distractions and a high level of urgency, actually help people reach their (yet undefined) potential more efficiently than large metroplexese [sic].
I’m sorry if this doesn’t make immediate sense. But, I’m a breeder. I have offspring which comes with certain biological concerns.
If it helps, my second thesis is that the “pioneer spirit” no longer has the evolutionary prowess it once (briefly) did. The thing that helped us defeat, say, cougars, was our ability to bond, communicate and cooperate. They had fangs and claws. We had a shared interest, intellect, and sticks and rocks.
I have the growing sense that people who are leaving places like Ypsi aren’t those who adapt and survive but those who can’t. Maybe I’ve become too accustomed to the seasons, but I think a long winter brings wonderful spring. It fills lakes for those that wait.
Very exciting. There is so much energy for free that is yet to be tapped. Your Solar success gives a lot of hope to the world. Please give me your email address for further personalized interaction
Looks like the solar sign in the attached article is being powered by ……………………………………..a generator! This whole green BS is nothing but a joke and all you left wing whack jobs are buying into it, hook, line and sinker:
That’s right!
Solar energy does not exist!
Science does not exist!
The earth is 6,000 years old.
The earth is flat!
The sun revolves around the earth.
It’s all a plan of the Devil!
I just saw it on a sitcom on ABC. A new one with an actress I recognize but can’t remember the name of. Anyway it was nat’l, and the cool of the project and of Ypsi runs through it. Seemed to be it reflected Ypsi more groovily than that much-touted Super Bowl ad did Detroit— and did it as much with substance as with style.
Six sites in Ypsi will be on the National Solar Tour this Saturday, including the Ypsi Food Coop and the River Street Bakery. The Corner Brewery is also featured, the city hall, Adams STEM Academy and 403 South Huron. There’s a map and more info on http://solar.ypsi.com/ — so inspiring!
It’s funded by taxes because the costs are too high for it to be legitimately practical. The whole reason we abandoned wind and sun a couple hundred years ago was because it wasn’t efficient. Throwing other people’s money into it doesn’t fix anything.
And by the way, we’re broke. Now isn’t the time to choose high cost, low return sources of energy. No wonder Michigan is in such dire straights – they’re apparently fiscally retarded.
Join the Nation Solar Tour by visiting the solar locations in and around Ypsilanti Michigan. SolarYpsi.org is organizing this year’s tour with eight solar installation within walking distance of each other in the City of Ypsilanti, and several more a short ride away. All sites are listed on the SolarYpsi.org website with details about each installation. We suggest visitors start their tour at 403 South Huron as they enter Ypsilanti from I94 (exit 183). Then stop at City Hall, 1 South Huron, where Dave Strenski will be giving continuous solar talks and answering questions about solar power. From there head over to 312 North River where you will learn about three installations on their roof: Ypsilanti Food Cooperative 2.3KW system, the River Street Bakery , and the Ypsilanti Food Cooperative 4.0KW system. Then visit Adams School at 503 East Oak Street to see a solar awning installation on the side of the school. If you need a WiFi connection during the tour, stop by Frog Island Park , at 600 Market Place where there is a solar power WirelessYpsi free WiFi hot spot. Then end your tour at the Corner Brewery where they have a very large installation of Detroit made PowerPanels . They will have a special solar beer on tap, Green Giant Organic Imperial Pilsner, and presentations from PowerPanel at 12:00 and 2:00 and local solar installer John Wakeman talking about the 25 by 25 legislation at 1:00. Don’t forget to also visit the other solar installations at 6232 Munger Road and 2114 Windmill Way either before or after you visit the City of Ypsilanti, a “Solar Destination”.
27 Comments
“so cool” indeed
I’m glad to have such nice (and creative!) neighbors, and I’m so pleased that Google decided to pick up this great local story and give it some much-deserved national attention. Thanks to Corinne, for the idea — and to Dave, for making it happen. Fun to see Mayor Schreiber in there, too, promoting Ypsilanti!
Wow! Also this … http://annarbor.com/news/ypsilanti-businesses-take-advantage-of-solar-energy-incentives-for-huge-energy-savings
What this community needs are more people like Dave.
It kind of gives the impression that Ypsi is someplace where interesting and relevant things are happening.
The Green Machine or better known as Solar Panels is a “Bust” and here is why:
http://sroblog.com/2011/03/06/los-angeles-community-college-solar-panels-grand-dream-loses-sheen-in-glare-of-daylight-latimes-com/
Obama’s wind power agenda is “even more useless” than we all were told:
http://www.newsrealblog.com/2011/04/08/wind-power-even-more-useless-than-you-thought/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+newsrealblogfb+%28NewsReal+Blog%29&utm_content=My+Yahoo
I wish I had solar panels onmy home and a windmill in my back yard…could use a break from DTE
Dave just gets it done, where some see obstacles he sees opportunity
Germany gets less sun that Michigan, and they get a fairly sizable percentage of their energy from solar. They’ve been able to do that because of something called feed-in tariffs. Essentially the government says that, if you generate power from green sources, they’ll buy it from you at a set rate. The result has been incredible growth in solar and wind installation. If we were serious about getting away from coal in the United States we’d do the same thing.
Salon.com had a piece yesterday on former Gov. Jennifer Granholm (and her book) that included this on energy policy:
We’ve already led Germany and Scandinavia 20-year head starts on energy. Glad we’re willing to give China the same deal.
(that’s primarily in response to anonymous’ comment, rather than Dave’s google commercial.)
I bet we could SE Michigan with Hasan’s bed.
For a town of 20 some thousand, it would seem we have a relatively high percentage of folks doing some pretty amazing shit. Overreaching potential. I would hate to leave such a place. I’d feel rather alone.
For tact, we might need to wait twenty or thirty years before we add Dave and Corinne along side Elijah McCoy in the Depot Town hall of fame. (No doubt Mark will be inducted, eventually, as a wonderful vociferous footnote.) I am delighted to be a small part of this town. I’m grateful to shop at the coop, read Mark, and share life with neighbors.
And, I persist to think we, as a community, surpass our demographic potential in orders of magnitude.
Obviously, I’m obsessing on a few ill conceived remarks.
What I mean to say is:
1) Dave and collaborators: Thank you. You, and your ilk are a big part of why I love living here, and why I want to raise my children here.
2) I’d match Ypsi, ounce for ounce of caring communal, creative productivity, against any town. Portland =583,776 residents: Ypsilanti = 22,362. First, define “potential.” Next, calculate potential achieved per population. Then, figure whether Portland (or wherever) is a place that best fosters (still undefined) potential. (I would love a discussion of what human potential is).
3) My thesis is that small towns like Ypsi, with relatively few distractions and a high level of urgency, actually help people reach their (yet undefined) potential more efficiently than large metroplexese [sic].
I’m sorry if this doesn’t make immediate sense. But, I’m a breeder. I have offspring which comes with certain biological concerns.
If it helps, my second thesis is that the “pioneer spirit” no longer has the evolutionary prowess it once (briefly) did. The thing that helped us defeat, say, cougars, was our ability to bond, communicate and cooperate. They had fangs and claws. We had a shared interest, intellect, and sticks and rocks.
I have the growing sense that people who are leaving places like Ypsi aren’t those who adapt and survive but those who can’t. Maybe I’ve become too accustomed to the seasons, but I think a long winter brings wonderful spring. It fills lakes for those that wait.
to Fool 4 MI: like
It seems that wind power “also” has strings attached. Indictments to follow.
http://weaselzippers.us/2011/09/23/obama-fundraiser-being-held-by-stimulus-beneficiary-received-107-million-federal-tax-credit-for-wind-power-project/#comment-315723
Very exciting. There is so much energy for free that is yet to be tapped. Your Solar success gives a lot of hope to the world. Please give me your email address for further personalized interaction
Looks like the solar sign in the attached article is being powered by ……………………………………..a generator! This whole green BS is nothing but a joke and all you left wing whack jobs are buying into it, hook, line and sinker:
http://biggovernment.com/bjacobson/2011/09/26/solar-scam-caption-contest/
That’s right!
Solar energy does not exist!
Science does not exist!
The earth is 6,000 years old.
The earth is flat!
The sun revolves around the earth.
It’s all a plan of the Devil!
I just saw it on TV…on NBC right after Jeopardy!
Thanks for sharing that. I couldn’t understand why my Aunt in Maryland would be writing to me and asking if I knew Dave.
Barack Obama vs. Solyndra and his criminal connection. HE is going down and will be indicted, along with some top officials of his regime.
http://weaselzippers.us/2011/09/27/report-concerns-about-solyndra-loan-progarm-were-raised-directly-to-obama-during-white-house-meetings/
I just saw it on a sitcom on ABC. A new one with an actress I recognize but can’t remember the name of. Anyway it was nat’l, and the cool of the project and of Ypsi runs through it. Seemed to be it reflected Ypsi more groovily than that much-touted Super Bowl ad did Detroit— and did it as much with substance as with style.
Six sites in Ypsi will be on the National Solar Tour this Saturday, including the Ypsi Food Coop and the River Street Bakery. The Corner Brewery is also featured, the city hall, Adams STEM Academy and 403 South Huron. There’s a map and more info on http://solar.ypsi.com/ — so inspiring!
Free energy? LOL!
It’s funded by taxes because the costs are too high for it to be legitimately practical. The whole reason we abandoned wind and sun a couple hundred years ago was because it wasn’t efficient. Throwing other people’s money into it doesn’t fix anything.
And by the way, we’re broke. Now isn’t the time to choose high cost, low return sources of energy. No wonder Michigan is in such dire straights – they’re apparently fiscally retarded.
http://solar.ypsi.com/blog/2012/09/2012-national-solar-tour/
Join the Nation Solar Tour by visiting the solar locations in and around Ypsilanti Michigan. SolarYpsi.org is organizing this year’s tour with eight solar installation within walking distance of each other in the City of Ypsilanti, and several more a short ride away. All sites are listed on the SolarYpsi.org website with details about each installation. We suggest visitors start their tour at 403 South Huron as they enter Ypsilanti from I94 (exit 183). Then stop at City Hall, 1 South Huron, where Dave Strenski will be giving continuous solar talks and answering questions about solar power. From there head over to 312 North River where you will learn about three installations on their roof: Ypsilanti Food Cooperative 2.3KW system, the River Street Bakery , and the Ypsilanti Food Cooperative 4.0KW system. Then visit Adams School at 503 East Oak Street to see a solar awning installation on the side of the school. If you need a WiFi connection during the tour, stop by Frog Island Park , at 600 Market Place where there is a solar power WirelessYpsi free WiFi hot spot. Then end your tour at the Corner Brewery where they have a very large installation of Detroit made PowerPanels . They will have a special solar beer on tap, Green Giant Organic Imperial Pilsner, and presentations from PowerPanel at 12:00 and 2:00 and local solar installer John Wakeman talking about the 25 by 25 legislation at 1:00. Don’t forget to also visit the other solar installations at 6232 Munger Road and 2114 Windmill Way either before or after you visit the City of Ypsilanti, a “Solar Destination”.
Here is another video explaining solar power I gave at a TEDx talk at EMU last March.
Understanding Solar Power in Ypsilanti
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx0pTz-Qc40