Burning Man backs solar-power project for Nevada towns

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To Matt Cheney, MMA's chief executive, being a part of the Black Rock Solar project is a chance to help communities that don't usually get to participate in renewable energy.

"We think the biggest corporations in America should be able to benefit from these technologies," Cheney said, "as well as those who don't have a lot."

MMA will be contributing expertise, labor, and the time and energy of its professional staff to the various Black Rock projects, Cheney said. In addition, the company will provide the up-front funds required to procure and install the solar arrays in advance of the rebates.

For its part, Sierra Pacific Power is excited to be able to help communities like Gerlach, Lovelock, and others benefit from the kinds of green technologies that are beginning to make inroads elsewhere.

The Nevada rebate program is designed to support installation of solar power in public buildings throughout the state, according to John Hargrove, Sierra Pacific's solar-generation program manager.

All told, the rebate program can help offset costs of installation for up to 760 kilowatts of solar power per year in public buildings, and another 2,000 kilowatts specifically for schools.

That means that Black Rock has a lot of room to operate, if it decides to move on to projects beyond that of Gerlach and Lovelock.

And that's precisely what the organization intends to do, Price said.

He said Black Rock currently has about a half-dozen other projects in its pipeline, though none appear likely to be completed in the immediate future.

Black Rock Solar is also hoping to extend its work beyond Nevada. Price said Austin, Texas, and Boulder, Colo., both have rebate programs similar to that of Nevada and could therefore support future efforts.

In general, solar-rebate programs are a success, particularly given that few institutions would invest in solar projects without such rebates. To date, such programs have been instituted, to some degree, in Canada, Japan, Germany, and California.

In the end, Black Rock Solar and its finance and utility partners say they want to help make a difference to people who are usually left out of the innovation parade. And because of the dependence on donated labor and the rebates, they are able to do so without incurring huge costs.

"We see ourselves as a Habitat for Humanity of renewable energy," Price said. "We're not here to take jobs away from anybody...We're focused on doing projects that otherwise wouldn't get done, or that spur innovation and adoption by creating high-profile examples people can be inspired by."

[kirkules]

Burners do Good. Cool!

I have some friends who are burners. They will be happy to see this
and they might already know.

This is how it will be done. One step at a time and we can make
this a clean planet.