From heating your swimming pool to baking bread, solar energy can be used in a wide variety of ways.
On March 26, John Barling presents Here Comes The Sun: DIY Solar Energy Projects, where he’ll explain the major aspects of solar energy in a seminar at the Schubert Centre. Following an initial session on understanding solar energy, Barling will present three sessions, looking at about 30 different do-it-yourself projects.
“The emphasis will be on low technology projects that use many recycled materials,” said Barling, the author of BC Hydro’s Sources: Solar Energy and John Barling’s Solar Fun Book, and the former head of science at the International School of Monaco. “Some of the projects include: solar distillation, RV and cabin photovoltaic systems, passive solar house construction, bread-box water heaters, trough concentrating water heaters, solar shower towers, camping water heaters, flash water heaters, storage of solar energy, swimming pool heaters, RV water heaters, solar food dryers, solar cold frames, solar greenhouses, parabolic concentrating cookers, solar hot dog cookers, solar ovens, fresnel lens furnaces and a solar light in a jar.”
The day will conclude by consideration of the latest and coming innovations in solar energy. Each session will be followed by a question-and-answer session.
“Use of solar energy technology is growing at more than 40 per cent a year — let’s join the solar revolution,” said Barling.
Barling’s Here Comes The Sun presentation takes place March 26 from 10 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. at the Schubert Centre. Tickets are $25, available at the Bean Scene.