Seattle City Light participated in the 2015 SustainableUW Festival hosted on Red Square at the University of Washington. This event brought together an innovative group of environmental organizations and student leaders to engage the topic of sustainability in Seattle.

Featuring MobE, the mobile-solar kiosk at the Seattle City Light exhibit table, UW students and event attendees had the opportunity to interact with a made-in-Washington solar PV module, as well as learn more about renewable energy, conservation, and energy efficiency.

The Pacific Science Center hosted their first annual Energy Day on Saturday for the grand opening of our new Live Science Show, which aims to engage the community on the topics of renewable energy and the effects of carbon emissions.

With guest presenters Jack Newman from Seattle City Light and Meg Chadsey, a scientist from the NOAA, Science Center attendees learned about the current state of solar energy in Seattle, as well as key information about ocean acidification.

Student leaders from high schools throughout the Puget Sound region gathered at the Woodland Park Zoo for the 1st annual Youth Climate Action Summit on Saturday. Seattle City Light hosted a plenary session focused on solar energy and project management, which helped students understand how they might accomplish their goals to manage the installation of solar projects on schools and community centers. The event concluded with a career panel designed to help answer the students’ questions about opportunities to work for the environment in the clean technology sector.

http://www.zoo.org/education/can

MobE was used to power the 2015 Real Estate Emerging Leaders Summer Social on the rooftop of Sellen Construction this week, which welcomed over 200 young professionals from the architecture, construction, engineering, and real estate development industries. Sponsored by the University of Washington’s Runstad Center for Real Estate Studies, the 2nd annual event featured speeches by industry leaders, encouraging attendees to expand their networks and make lasting connections. MobE, Seattle City Light’s mobile-solar kiosk provided the sound system for the networking portion of the event, playing a wide array of Seattle music, all powered by the sun! Event proceeds went to Urban Artworks, a local non-profit that empowers young people to restore communities through public art.

Seattle City Light, NW SEED, and Puget Sound Solar teamed up for the 2nd of 6 SolarWISE workshops this week, aimed at providing Utility customers with valuable information about process of installing a solar PV array. With over 80 registered attendees, this was the largest workshop yet and served as a good indicator of the Seattle community’s interest in solar energy. Attendees who preregistered for the workshop received a free LED light bulb, provided by the Operation LED team in City Light’s Conservation Resources Division. Looking forward to another great workshop on September 10th at the Mountaineers Seattle Program Center!

Seattle City Light staff met with students at the Refugee Women’s Alliance (ReWA) Summer Camp this week to talk about renewable energy, conservation, and the Utility’s legacy of clean hydro-power.

The students, aged 10-14, enjoyed experimenting with the “Solar Science Station”, an educational resource to help understand how well solar PV works in Seattle.

With support from the voluntary renewable energy program Green Up, Conservation Resources Division staff members are committed to outreach and education in the Seattle community.

Seattle City Light is celebrating full-enrollment for the Community Solar project in Capitol Hill, located on the roof of an affordable housing complex managed by the non-profit organization Capitol Hill Housing. Community Solar is an innovative program that provides Utility customers with the opportunity to participate in Washington State’s burgeoning solar industry, without having to install an array on one’s own roof. In fact, the program is designed as an affordable pathway to for Seattle renters, homeowners and business owners who want to ‘Go Solar’, but at a size and cost that works for them – one of the many reasons City Light’s program has been replicated by electric utilities throughout the Pacific Northwest region!

Seattle City Light’s 25.92 kW Community Solar array in Capitol Hill – installed with solar PV modules made in Washington State.

MobE was used for a series of educational presentations at Ballard High School, to support the students’ brainstorm for a new ‘Sustainability Academy’. Ballard High School currently has bio-tech and maritime academies, but the students have expressed interest in a new academy that is designed to tackle issues related to climate change, as well as support projects on campus.

Multiple science classes attended the City Light renewable energy presentation, which equipped the students with up-to-date information on solar in Seattle, as well as provide an overview of the utility’s commitment to conservation and legacy of clean hydropower. Looking forward to continued engagement with the student community in Seattle!

 

Student leaders from the Youth Climate Action Festival used MobE as an educational tool on Saturday as they lead zoo attendees on Eco-Tours. MobE was used to relay real-time solar energy generation data for the Zoo’s Community Solar project located on the roof of their Rainforest Pavilion. The student eco-tour guides also raised awareness for the Zoo’s LEED Gold ‘Zoomasium’ building, as well as the geothermally heated Penguin sanctuary. Working with the Woodland Park Zoo’s Youth Programs Specialist, Joel Kresse, the student leaders were trained to become specialists in the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) rating system, while learning important information about Seattle City Light’s Community Solar program.

MobE is an exciting new project focused on energy education and community engagement. Seattle City Light has some of the most innovative and forward-thinking customers, and we are looking forward to working together on this project. Please get in touch with us through the ‘Contact Page’ if you would like to use MobE for an educational event in Seattle. Thank you!