More on The Solar Sandy Project in the Rockaways

Image source: Solar Sandy Project

Yesterday in our Evening Edition newsletter we touched upon this issue of solar energy for the Rockaways – the Belle Harbor Yacht Club, a center for relief supplies and for volunteers, has been using a 10KW solar generator, installed by Consolidated Solar, to keep things going there. This is part of the Solar Sandy Project, whose goal it is to power Hurricane Sandy relief efforts with solar.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaMPr2tsYGg]

At the time of this video, LIPA still hadn’t restored the Yacht Club’s power.

The particular solar generator they are using is good for powering things like small electronics and a space heater, but can’t power an entire neighborhood (it could power all the energy needs for a home for a few hours straight). That said, multiple solar panels could retain enough energy to power a home for a longer period of time.

About the Solar Sandy Project:

Solar One, SolarCity, Consolidated Solar, HSBC, 11th Hour Project and NYSERDA are partnering to connect communities rebuilding from Sandy to mobile solar generators so that they can get much-needed temporary electricity. So far, we have installed five 10kw solar generators deployed in the Rockaways. We will be installing units in other parts of the city in the coming days. These units are installed in community gathering places where folks are already getting warm clothes, a bite to eat, and some basic medical services.

The project is looking for help from both solar installers and equipment providers and from community organizations.

Interested solar installers/equipment providers should be able to provide plug-and-play mobile generators that are easy to set up; skilled installers to help with deployment, installation, and maintenance of the generators; off-grid experience with batter storage is also useful. Apply here if you can help.

Interested community organizations are encouraged to apply for a generator, and can do so here. Other ways to help, including donations, can be found on the Solar Sandy Project website.

In the Rockaways, solar generators have been installed in the following places, with some notes:

• Belle Harbor Yacht Club – Consolidated Solar installed the generator
• YANA Medical Center – “Greenpeace and SolaRover set up a 4.5 kW mobile solar unit”
• Rockaway Taco – “Here we deployed one of Consolidated Solar’s 10 kW mobile solar generating units. They are using it to run the lights and cooking equipment of the relief center. We also deployed one of Solar One’s mini solar chargers. They are using it to charge cell phones and other necessary electronics.”
• Beach 91st Community Garden – “Here we installed one of Consolidated Solar’s mobile solar generating stations.”
• Rockaway Beach Surf Club – “Rockaway Resilience has a permanent installation on the roof of the Surf Club”
• Rockaway Waterfront Alliance – “Another solar mobile generator from Consolidated Solar is installed here.”
• St Gertrude’s Church – “Columbia grad students have set up a mobile charging station here.”
• Beach Bungalows Ad Hoc Community Center – “Here we have installed one of Consolidated Solar’s mobile generators.”

Here is a screen capture of the map (click to enlarge)

Image source: Solar Sandy Project

The KEY to this map is: The systems deployed by the Solar Sandy Project are in Blue. Systems that have been deployed by friends and affiliates are in Purple.

The Solar One Facebook page has a set of photos of the installation of these solar generators, here.

One could see this situation in a way that the Rockaways are being used as a kind of “incubator” – as much as it was forced into being creative in finding such solutions – for new/green energy technologies, and we are hopeful that what they learn from this experience will be beneficial to the rest of NYC in some way.