Tour showcases Decorah’s leading solar efforts

DECORAH - A community with a legitimate claim to Iowa's solar power capital will show off its increasingly glass-paneled skyline during the Decorah Energy Extravaganza Saturday through Monday.

'Solar has gone mainstream in Decorah,” with more than 30 solar arrays powering businesses and nearly 100 providing energy to homes, said Andy Johnson, executive director of Winneshiek Energy District, one of the event's sponsors.

Ten solar-powered homes will participate in an open house from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, providing opportunities for people considering solar to speak with experienced users.

'It provides a personal connection - a chance to hear about it from the solar owner's mouth, a chance to kick the solar panel,” Johnson said.

Winneshiek County has more residential solar than any of the state's other 98 counties, and Decorah-based Luther College is just completing what will be the state's largest solar array, he said.

'Luther is absolutely an important factor and a leader in the growth of solar in Decorah and Winneshiek County,” Johnson said.

Saturday's events include a tour of Luther's expanded solar array at 9 a.m. and a Solar 'How-To” workshop at Luther's Valders Hall of Science at 1 p.m.

The new 809-kilowatt, 2,400-panel Luther array, in a field north of the campus, will generate about 1.1 million kilowatt-hours per year, according to Jim Martin-Schramm, a religion professor and coordinator of the college's energy and climate program.

'This is what a power plant should be like - clean, quiet, with butterflies flitting about,” said Bob Messerich, the owner of Dragonfly Solar of Minneapolis, the lead contractor for the project.

The new array complements an existing 280 kilowatt solar system that powers Baker Village, a housing complex for 112 students, and a 1.6 megawatt wind turbine that generates enough electricity to meet about 26 percent of the college's needs.

Martin-Schramm said Luther committed in 2002 to sharply reduce its carbon footprint. Since 2003, he said, it has cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 44.5 percent.

Before it even began tapping solar and wind power, Luther invested more than $1.5 million in energy efficiency upgrades such as insulation and light-emitting diode illumination.

Besides saving money - an estimated $1 million over 25 years - the college's emphasis on energy efficiency reflects the value it places on 'stewardship of God's creation,” Martin-Schramm said.

That same belief in stewardship responsibility helped motivate Jim and Barb Dale to install solar panels atop their older home, which will be open to visitors Saturday.

'The earth needs to be cared for,” said Jim Dale, a retired Methodist minister.

Barb Dale said their nine-panel array generates 3,000 kilowatt-hours per year, enough to meet all their electricity needs, including charging the battery of their Prius, their fourth.

'In effect, it's a solar-powered car,” she said.

Retired bank executive Larry Grimstad, who installed solar panels on his home 12 years ago, said Decorah's sustainable energy movement originated with progressive individuals but is 'driven by the community now.”

During his tenure as chief executive officer of Decorah Bank and Trust, Grimstad oversaw solar installations on the roofs of banks in Decorah and Cresco, and he has been a partner in some of the Luther College energy projects.

Referring to his young grandchildren, 'who depend on adults to make the right decisions,” Grimstad said, 'I have to do what's right for them, but it's not enough. I should be doing more.”

On Monday, the event's focus will shift to energy for businesses, with a tour starting at 9 a.m. at the municipal swimming pool.