(Alamosa, CO – May 21, 2010) – Astralux Power Systems, a leading solar energy integrator in Colorado, has finished a 19.74 kilowatt (kW) solar energy system installation on the Crouse Organic Farm in Alamosa, Colorado. This project was partially funded through the Colorado Government Energy Office’s (GEO) New Energy Economy Development (NEED) grant program. The Crouse solar project was one of 17 projects to be funded out of over 200 applicants. The NEED grant program was created with funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).

The Crouse Farm solar project is an integral step towards transitioning into a “green farm of the future”. This certified organic farm is currently producing 500-600 tons of alfalfa hay annually. The electricity produced by the solar energy system will offset an estimated 55% of the 64,000 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity needed to irrigate the farm’s crops. The system will also prevent approximately 24,000 pounds of coal from being burned annually. Located in Alamosa, the Crouse farm will provide Southern Colorado with a model for a sustainable and energy efficient farm. This project will also showcase solar energy in an area of Colorado lacking in renewable energy installations, as this will only be the second grid-tied solar energy system in the San Luis Valley Rural Electric Cooperative service area.

“We strongly believe transitioning our farm to renewable energy, in this case solar power, is a win-win scenario for both the farmer and the environment”, said Ken Crouse, owner and operator. “This project, along with our current transition into certified organic crops, will significantly reduce our carbon footprint. Furthermore, we believe this transition will ultimately provide Southern Colorado with a GREEN model farm of the future. We intend to arrange field trips with local schools to our farm, thus enriching the minds of our youth and helping to create a sustainable road map for the future farmers of America.”

“We believe projects like this are at the essence of the Recharge Colorado initiative,” said Jesse Malcomb, Vice President of Business Development for Astralux. “This solar energy system helps increase our state’s energy independence while allowing this farm to continue producing an important crop for the local economy.”

About Astralux
Astralux, established in 1992, is a Boulder, Colorado-based solar energy integration firm and was originally founded to research and develop silicon and semiconductor materials and devices. Leveraging its extensive R&D in advanced solar energy technologies, Astralux created the Power Systems group which has developed proprietary engineering, design, rendering, and installation solutions for the solar energy integration industry. This technical expertise allows Astralux to offer the exclusive SolarCare™ protection plan, providing the longest and most comprehensive labor warranty and performance guarantee in the industry. Since 2007, Astralux Power Systems is fastest growing solar energy integrator in Colorado.

Link: http://bit.ly/6kr28A

ColoradoBiz Magazine devotes its annual "power-list issue" to recognizing the people who drive growth, the often unsung heroes of business who keep cash coming in the door by connecting clients with the products and services they need to prosper.

Osea Nelson has been named to this list as the premier salesperson in Solar Energy. Read more about Osea's story...

Osea Nelson has been named one of the Top 25 Salespeople in Colorado by ColoradoBiz Magazine. Osea has been a Client Services Representative for Astralux since 2008, and is a big reason for Astralux's success over the past 2 years.

Everyone at Astralux congratulates Osea for this distinction and for all of his accomplishments in the solar energy field.

I set out to write a blog this week addressing the changes people make and the attitudes they have after they get solar power in their homes. I assumed I would find a plethora of happy customers exalting there new contribution to the environment, and I also assumed that maybe some had become more lax on their energy conservation activities around the home since their energy is now practically free. Instead, I spoke with happy customers who had made no change in their daily routines, as they already were energy conscious before solar, and continued with this mindset even after solar was installed. Their opinion towards the solar panels on their home is that it is their duty to the world. I was surprised to not immediately find the answer I was looking for, but instead to speak with individuals who were truly energy conservationists.

In my mind, the moment I knew I was getting free energy, I would feel no remorse in running the dryer two more times, or leaving my computer on all day. This was a response I expected from at least one of our former solar customers. Instead, I spoke with two of Astralux's past customers who had a completely different attitude. Most of the customers I spoke with replied with a "Why wouldn't I?" sort of attitude towards their solar arrays.

Mr. Alex Wyche, who’s system was installed in May of 2008 said "It [solar] doesn't change anything - we consume less electricity, see our electricity bill cut in half, there's no action on my part, it's invisible." His opinion on the matter is "Why would you not if you have a place for it? It's just a matter of time before they pay for themselves. We have been very pleased."

I later spoke with Mr. Richard Bluhm who shared that he installed solar on his home in September of 2008 for "altruistic reasons". "I know things are desperate. What I do is a drop in the bucket compared to what really needs to be done. We're so far behind." Although Mr. Bluhm has a very substantial 9kW system on his home (the average is about 5kW), which produces about $125 a month of electricity, he admits "I go around turning everyone else's lights out in my home."

Speaking with these individuals opens a new window into how we all should see our energy usage. If we have the means, the location and the ability to install solar - why not? Furthermore, even when we do begin to incorporate significant sustainable energy solutions into our lives, such as solar energy, we must still remain vigilant to maintain an overall energy conscious lifestyle.

We would all benefit from every citizen of this tiny blue planet to adopt this same attitude. The more individuals who contribute their "drop in the bucket" adds up and eventually we will have a puddle, which then could amount to a full bucket. If you have a south facing roof, what is holding you back? If a 3kW system has the same effect on the environment as taking one car off the road per year and 5,208 pounds of coal from being burned each year, imagine the impact if even 10% of Americans made that upgrade.

Climate change is an ever debatable topic in our society. The questions of whether it is a conspiracy theory, the natural cycle of the world, or more, typically arise when it is addressed. Rather than igniting a heated debate based on theories, it is important to tackle the changes that need to be made to better our environment. Very few will debate that our country, and much of our world, is far too reliant on fossil fuels and other non-renewable energy sources. Renewable energy sources are finally becoming a common topic in the world, and people are realizing the importance of adopting them. As solar power technology advances and becomes more accessible, it is vital to look into the impact one home’s conversion to solar power can have on the world, and the potential solar power has.

One of the tools Astralux uses when proposing a solar job is what is referred to as a SAT, or Solar Assessment Tool. This uses standard predictions of energy prices, average energy use, pollution and more to calculate the effect one solar system can have on the environment, and the owner’s pocket book. A standard home’s solar system size is generally around 5 kW, but for this example we will look at a hypothetical home installing a smaller, 3.36 kW system, and its impact. Based on our calculations, a system this size will prevent 5,208 pounds of coal from being burned every year, and take the harmful emissions of 1.1 cars per year off the road. Over 25 years of the system’s life, it is estimate that it will prevent 222,276 pounds of CO2, which is the leading green house gas, 640 pounds of NOx, which creates smog, 579 pounds of SO2, which causes acid rain, and 39 pounds of particulates that cause asthma. Furthermore, over 25 years this hypothetical solar system will offset the energy of 324,556 miles driven on an average car (or 12,982 miles per year), 1,058,456 hours lighting a 100 Watt bulb, or 58 average American televisions. To summarize, in 25+ years, this solar system would offset 85% of the average human’s harmful emissions.

A question on your mind may be where we currently get our energy from. The answer to that is, 49.8% coal, 19.9% nuclear, 17.9% natural gas, 6.5% hydroelectric, 3.0% petroleum, 2.3% other renewables, 0.4% other gases, and 0.2% other. In general, one kWh from the standard energy company means, 2.1 pounds of CO2 are released into the environment and 1.23 pounds of coal are burned. Do the math using that with your monthly energy bill, and you can see the impact you are having. The United States total energy use is 3.3 terawatts in a year (1 terawatt = 1 trillion watts). Considering the sun produces enough energy in one minute to power the earth for a year, the question is how that can be captured. All it would take to detain enough sun to power the earth for a year would be 160 billion square meters of land. Granted, that sounds like a decent amount, but when you consider the size of the United States, it is very possible. Furthermore, the idea is not that this space should be a chunk out of the middle of Kansas; think of it spread out over the rooftops of 300 million Americans, and the goal is reached. America has the potential to reduce its need for fossil fuels and to better our environment for our future generations. That answer is solar and other renewable sources such as wind, geothermal, biomass, etc.

What are you doing to reduce climate change? The little actions count and make a difference, but the big steps are right in front of you and just as easily accessible.

www.blogactionday.org

Check out our new Solar Energy affiliate program and get paid to refer people who are interested in solar energy.

http://www.astraluxsolaraffiliate.com

Concluding our 5 part series on Solar Electricity in Colorado.

"Look around Colorado, the Solar rush is on. Thousands of Coloradans have joined the millions around the world harnessing cheap, clean, and reliable energy that the sun provides everyday..."

Read more: http://www.astraluxsolar.com/Solar_In_Colorado_Part5.pdf

Continuing our 5 part series on Solar Electricity in Colorado.

"While granite countertops and hardwood floors may be an investment in your home’s aesthetics, a solar electric system has benefits that are financially quantifiable..."

Read more ... http://www.astraluxsolar.com/Solar_In_Colorado_Part4.pdf

The following is an excerpt from The Woodmen Edition newspaper in Colorado Springs.

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Here comes the sun. And for the Leitz family, here comes lower electricity bills, a way to help Colorado Springs' energy needs and a method to make a positive impact on the environment.

In early Nov., the Leitz's, through a company called Astralux Power Systems, installed 36 panels on their roof hoping to glean enough sunlight to keep their house's electricity totally powered during daylight hours.

Mr. Butch Leitz said he worked with Astralux because their design helped the panels blend in with the rest of the home...Leitz said the connection between the panels and the city provided electricity proved seamless and he's yet to see any problems.

"It's really a no-brainer when it comes to solar energy. It's a simple concept" he said. "The environment is only getting worse; there's no reason not to invest right now."

[Source: The Woodmen Edition, Maren Sorensen]

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We commend the Leitz family on their new system and front page story in the Woodmen Paper! They are setting an example for others in Colorado Springs (and beyond) to follow.

Here is a link to a story done on the 30kW Solar Energy Installation on the IBEW office in Colorado Springs.

http://www.kktv.com/news/headlines/40319987.html

Continuing our 5 part series on Solar Electricity in Colorado.

"One home using Solar Energy prevents over 150,000 pounds of Coal from being burned..."

Read more ... http://www.astraluxsolar.com/Solar_In_Colorado_Part3.pdf

Continuing our 5 part series on Solar Electricity in Colorado.

"Why have over 1.5 million Americans invested in solar energy?..."

Read more ... http://www.astraluxsolar.com/Solar_In_Colorado-Part2.pdf