Last weekend, Stinson Solar Sunday suffered an unanticipated
technical glitch. Glare from the morning sun made it nearly impossible
to see the presenters’ slides inside the Stinson Beach Community
Center. But that did not keep an estimated 350 attendees from embracing
the power of the sun.
Though there was music, food, and much optimism, the
entire day was marked by a sense of importance and resolve. Following
a Native American Sundance ritual, Supervisor Steve Kinsey and Jared
Huffman, candidate for the district six seat on the State Assembly,
both voiced their support for alternative energy initiatives, and praised
the recent passage of the California Solar Initiative, which guarantees
$2.8B of continued funding for solar incentives for the next 11 years.
Throughout the day, appeals to solar energy would
emphasize either its financial or philosophical advantages. Don Smith
of Bolinas spoke of the private investment platform he has created,
Bosoleil Finances, LLC, which will help the Bolinas Community Public
Utility District benefit from federal solar energy tax-credits that
they would not otherwise receive. Solar installers projected spreadsheets
of long-term returns on investment.
Sandy Leon Vest, however, spoke of the emotional gratification
of going solar. "When you do this — when the meter spins backwards
— I have to tell you, it’s so exciting I had to cry."
By cue, the first keynote speaker, Richard Heinberg,
brought the audience down with a well-documented forecast of peak oil,
and Donald Aitken followed to bring everyone back up with an optimistic
assessment of the future of alternative energy.
Gwendolyn Johnson, the Solar Projects Coordinator
for the County’s Planning Division was optimistic for the local
future of solar energy. By her count, there are currently 620 solar
systems installed in Marin, totaling 3.78 megawatts of capacity. 150
of these systems were installed in the last year, up from only eight
installed in 2000.
Results so far, even if helped by state-funded incentives,
still rely on individual action. But there is growing hope in the community
choice aggregation movement, which could eventually see Marin County
negotiating for the wholesale purchase of renewable energy sources at
prices competitive to offerings from PG&E.
The recently-formed Stinson Beach Solar Committee
was happy with the turnout for Marin’s first ever Solar Festival.
"There was lots of interest, not just from locals, but from across the
bay area," said co-organizer Peter Asmus, who estimates the event
was attended by as many as 350 people.