Solar Hot Water. Besides passive solar heat for some of our buildings, we also have a number of solar hot water installations and two photovoltaic (electricity) developments.

Most of our building have solar hot water systems that contribute to hot water used. Kaweah has the most large-scale such with a large collector surface and storage tank providing most of the hot water use for 20+ people.

[In the wake of the powerful earthquake of August 2011, some of our hot water systems remain damaged and out of commission. We need more skilled plumbing help to change this situation!]

Solar Electricity. Kaweah Sunrise Small Living Group has a small photovoltaic electricity array and battery storage system. Bedrooms and living rooms for Sunrise get their electricity exclusively from this system.

In 2010, with the help of a federally funded State rebate program we installed a large 10 kilowatt system connected to several of our buildings (Morningstar, Degania, Modern Times, and our main drinking water well). This array is grid-connected, no batteries. The system displaces grid power from our local electricity provider (Rappahanock Electric Co-op). In addition we are compensated for power generation by this array through the national Solar Renewal Energy Credit (SREC) system.