Solar Information Network

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Volume 2, Number 1                                           March/April 1996



         ==========================================================
         THE NEWSLETTER OF THE UK STUDENT SOLAR INFORMATION NETWORK
         ==========================================================

                             *** SPONSORED BY ***

                 ------------------------------------------

                   S U N   A T   W O R K   I N   E U R O P E

                    The European Renewable Energy Magazine

     Solar Student Information Network
     c/o The Franklin Company Consultants Ltd.
     192 Franklin Road
     Birmingham, B30 2HE        Tel: (+44) 121 459 4826
     UNITED KINGDOM             Fax: (+44) 121 456 8206

                        __________________________
                        KEYWORD TABLE OF :CONTENTS
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  (Search specific subjects by using the ':' prefaced keywords below. To get
   back here, search back :CONTENTS)


  2   :EDITORIAL                 We're back...here's an explanation of where
                                 we've been and where we are going
                             
  3   :UPDATE                    News and items from around the world 

  4   :UK-ISES                   Hot water and PV buildings

  5   :SITE INFO                 Backissues and contacting us

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                                :EDITORIAL
                                ~~~~~~~~~~

  Best wishes,

                               Mark Thornton: mark@tfc-bham.demon.co.uk

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  Respect for this edition also due to:   Dave Elliot and all at NATTA
                                        Phil Riches      Paul Teasdale
                                        Paul Trimby



  Quote-Unquote: "I run a solar energy business in a building with an
                ordinary roof. What excites me more is to see an ordinary
                business with solar energy running on the roof!"

                                 Anonymous quote at the
                                 ISES World Solar Congress, Harare

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    UNITED KINGDOM
    --------------

• The East Midlands Universities Renewable Energy Group (EMUREG) in the UK is to hold another of its successful meetings in renewable energy at Coventry University on Tuesday 11 June, 1996. The meetings, which now take the form of two bi-annual conferences, seek to promote research, development and collaboration between industry and universities. Further information can be obtained from Dr Les Duckers at Coventry University on: (+44) 1203 838 283.
  
  
• Greenpeace have produced a report entitled 'Unlocking the power of our cities'. The report, published as part of Greenpeace's 'Solar Revolution' initiative, details the potential for solar power in the UK. Info: (+44) 191 491 0034, or access:
  http://www.greenpeace.org/~climate/solar_rev/solrev1.html
  
  
• 'EONLINE' is a new service being launched in the UK to provide the latest information on Energy and Environmental Management to businesses and individuals. The service is a dial-up bulletin board, with a chance to exhibit an organisation in a 'virtual exhibition'. More info: ga76@dial.pipex.com
  
  
• ElectroTech '96 held at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, UK between 10-14 June 1996 will include a major pavilion on UK renewable energy companies. More info, contact John Buckley at the UK Government Department of Trade and Industry: 101331.663@compuserve.com
  
  
• The Midlands Electricity Board (MEB) UK have started to market solar water heaters direct to the public. As far as we can gather, they are the first utility company in the UK to do this. For more info, contact: Leon Jacob on: +44 1789 268924.
  
  
• IT Power in the UK recently held the opening of their new PV testing Centre. Full details and pictures are in March's edition of Sun At Work In Europe, but you can e-mail for more info to:itpower@gn.apc.org
  
  
• Free energy management magazine from Department of the Environment. Send details to: Energy Management, The Circulation Manager, Readerlink Ltd, Audit House, 260 Field End Road, RUISLIP, Middlesex, HA4 9BR.
  
  
• A conference was held at Parsifal College, London on March 30 entitled "Networking for Sustainability". The conference, hosted by NATTA, the Network for Altenative Technology and Technology Assessment included speakers Andrew Waegel from CREST, US and Godfrey Boyle of the Open University.
  
  The conference looked at all aspects of electronic networking for the promotion of alternative technology. More details of the conference can be obtained from David Elliot: D.A.Elliot@open.ac.uk
  
  
• The Solar Energy Unit at Cardiff University is now on-line with its own Web Page. Check out:
  http://www.cf.ac.uk/uwcc/engin/Mechanical/seu.html
  
  

      EUROPE
      ------
  

• The build-up to EuroSun '96 is well underway, in what will be the biggest exposition of renewable energy technology in Europe this year. The conference will take place between the 16-19 September in Freiburg, Germany. Two other conferences are also happening in parallel: The Eighth International Meeting on Transparent Insulation (TI8) and SPIE Conference on Optical Materials Technology for Energy Efficiency and Solar Energy Conversion XV. All details are available by contacting the following: Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Sonnenenergie (DGS) on: +49 89 52 40 71 e-mail: hq@ises.org
  URL: http://www.ises.org/eurosun96/
  
  A special report on Freiburg and the build up to the conference appears in the March edition of Sun At Work In Europe magazine, which can be found at:
  http://www.demon.co.uk/tfc/sawie.html
  
  
• The European Commission has earmarked Ecu30 as part of its JOULE non- nuclear energy programme (part of the EU fourth research framework budget). The research will cover three areas: PV, wind and biomass (especially combined heat and power production based on biomass generation. Check out the JOULE/THERMIE info at:
  http://www.iief.fta-berlin.de/ftp/Cordis/joule_thermie/.index.html
  
  and general European info can be found:
  http://www.demon.co.uk/tfc/thermie.html
  
  
• European Union Wind Energy Conference and Exhibition 20-24 May, Gvteborg, Sweden. For more info, contact: +49 89720 1232
  
  
• The UK-Dutch Joint Scientific Programme is entering its sixth year. Formed and operated jointly by the British Council and the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO), it aims to promote academic links between the two countries. More info, contact: bc.amsterdam@british-council.sprint.com
  
  
• 9th European Bioenergy Conference, Copenhagen, Denmark. More info, contact: +45 4492 5050
  
  
• The International Network for Sustainable Energy (INforSE) recently attempted to hold its annual co-ordinators' meeting via e-mail. We would be delighted to know how it went...
  INforSE are at: inforse@nn.apc.org
  
  
• The International Association for Energy-Efficient Lighting (IAEEL) has a free subscription newsletter. Send your subscription details to the following address: IAEEL, c/o NUTEK, S-117 86, Sweden.
• The International Association of Solar Energy Educators has a WWW address located at the University of Oldenburg, Germany:
  http://www.hrz.uni-oldenburg.de/~kblum/iasee.html
  
  
• Free on-line supscription to Swedish Energy Research (Byggforskningsredets) at: www.bfr.se
  
  

      USA and CANADA
      --------------
  

• Solar '96 in the US comes up April 13-18, Asheville North Carolina. Info contact: ases@ases.org
  
  
• The CREST server is as active as ever, winning practically every award to be had on the Internet. As ever, SSIN recommends it unhesitatingly as the place to start when looking for solar, renewable and energy- efficiency on the Internet. The relevant addresses are:
  WWW: http://www.crest.org/
  
  gopher: gopher.crest.org/
  
  ftp: solstice.crest.org/
  
  CREST run a number of listserv discussion forums - one of the most active is the bioenergy list.
  To subscribe, mail to: majordomo@crest.org with the following message:
  
  subscribe bioenergy you e-mail address>
  
  
• Energy West Online Publications produce an e-mail bulletin on price trends in the Energy Sector. For more details, e-mail: lcole@iro.com
  
  
• The University of Quebec at Rimouski has launched a new web site which (as far as we can gather) contains the most extensive guide to wind energy on the Web in French. "Eole for Francophones" is at:
  http://www.eole.org/
  
  For french-language information, however, Systeme Solaires is the best magazine for solar and renewable info. Contact: +16 1 44 18 00 80
  
  
• Although the Millenium Olympic Games in Sydney are being touted as the 'green Olympics' for 2000, Atlanta '96 is shaping up on the renewable energy front. An initiative known as TEAM ENERGY plans to make the games a showcase for renewable energy projects, including PV lighting, solar thermal power generation, passive solar building design and alternative fuels vehicles.
  
  TEAM ENERGY plans to issue brochures and fact sheets shortly on its Atlanta demonstration sites and the public outreach campaign. For more information, please contact:
  
  Greg Wilson on: +1 202-383-9722
  US DOE on: +1 202 586 8166
  e-mail address: gwilson@shandwick.com
  
• May 13-17 sees the 25th IEEE PV Specialists' Conference in Washington DC, USA. Contact Dr Eldon Boes for more info: +1 202 484 1090
  
  
• The new March/April '96 Issue of "Science and the Environment" is ready and waiting on-line:
  http://www.voyagepub.com/publish
  
  
• Solar Energy International (SEI) has its 1996 renewable energy education programme available. E-mail to: sei@solarenergy.org or check out:
  http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/sei
  
  
• Dr Lehman Marks informs us that plans are well underway for this year's Winston Solar Challenge high school solar car race. Mail him at: LehmanM743@AOL.com
  
  For more details or check out the home page on the CREST server:
  http://solstice.crest.org/renewables/wsc/index.html
  
  
• The World Renewable Energy Congress IV takes place 15-21 June, Denver, USA. For more info contact Prof AA Sayigh: +44 1734 611364
  
  

         AUSTRALIA and NEW ZEALAND
         -------------------------
  

• Solar '96, the 34th Annual Conference of the Australian and New Zealand Solar Energy Society (ANZSES) take place in Darwin, Australia between 22-25 October 1996. Held in conjunction with the 4th World Solar Challenge, a race for solar cars run between Darwin and Adelaide across the outback, speakers include Dr Dave Carlson, Solarex Chief Technologist and Madanjeet Singh, author of the UNESCO book "The Sun in Myth and Art".
  
  If you are interested in registering, e-mail: chandra@dme.nt.gov.au or access the Solar '96 home page at:
  
  http://www.dme.nt.gov.au/solar/solar_96.html
  
  
• The Centre for Photovoltaic Devices and Systems at the University of New South Wales, Australia, has set up a web site at:
  http://www.vast.unsw.edu.au/pv.html
  
  The site primarily contains information about the Centre's research activities and but also has general PV info such as efficiency records.
  
  
• The Rainbow Power Company in Australia has (at the end of 1995) installed a 'solar power station' on the roof of a school in Sydney. It is the sixth grid interactive installation undertaken by the company. More information can be obtained from Nigel Morris at: (+61) 66 89 1430.
  
  
• New Zealand has been granted a license for its first wind farm at a site known as 'Haunui' in the North Island. More info from Jeff Kendrew: +64 6 377 3773
  
  
• Murdoch University's Energy Research Institute have developed a sterilizer which runs on solar energy. Murdoch University resides:
  http://www.murdoch.edu.au/
  
  
• The Alternative Technology Association (ATA) is an Australian non-profit community group working to promote the development of environmentally friendly technologies in Australia. They even have their own 8 tonne 'EnergyMobile' vehicle. Info: claire@suburbia.apana.org.au
  
  
• Energy Focus is an excellent magazine produced by the New South Wales Department of Energy. Loads of info on all things energy, professionally produced and well-balanced. Subscription free within Australia at the moment. Contact Ian Lee at: +61 2 9901 8223
  
  

         ASIA and PACIFIC RIM
         --------------------
  

• The Asian Productivity Organisation and the Development Academy of the Philippines are hosting a conference in Manila, Philippines between 4-6 December, 1996 on Green Productivity. More info: apo@gol.com
  
  
• The latest edition of 'SunWorld' features a special focus on PV in buildings, with a feature and striking images from the Japanese PV roof programme. The SunWorld home page is at:
  http://www.demon.co.uk/tfc/sunworld.html
  
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                                   :UK-ISES
                                   ~~~~~~~~
  
      UK-ISES NEWS
      ------------
  

• The UK Solar Energy Society (UK-ISES) Secretariat has moved to the world renowned Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) in Machynlleth, Wales. The new contact details are as follows:
  
  Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynlleth, Powys, SY20 9AZ, UK
  Tel: +44 1654 702992
  Fax: +44 1654 702782
  E-mail: cat@gn.apc.org
  WWW: http://www.foe.co.uk:80/CAT/
  
  
• The Society recently held a major international two-day meeting on 'Overcoming Technical Barriers in Europe' with over 100 delegates from across and the world. Conference proceedings are now available from the Secretariat.
  
  
• The Society is holding a one-day meeting on solar water heating on 8 May at the Royal Institute of Structural Engineers, London. The Society AGM will be held at the same time. The conference will look at the opportunities for SWH today, with an exhibition of commercial systems. More info: cat@gn.apc.org
  
  
• 9-10 September sees the Society holding a two-day conference at the Newcastle PV Application Centre (NPAC), University of Northumbria, Newcastle, UK.
  
  

    The Society
    ~~~~~~~~~~~

 Snail Mail: Paul Trimby
             The UK Solar Energy Society (UK-ISES)
             c/o Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT),
             Machynlleth,
             Powys, Wales
             SY20 9AZ,
             United Kingdom

                
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                                :SITE INFO
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