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Door County Alternative Energy: Tour Showcases Peninsula Homes Harnessing the Sun

Several Door County residents incorporating solar energy in their homes will open their doors to the public Saturday, Oct. 4 from 10 am – 4 pm as part of the National Solar Homes Tour.

The local tour, in its ninth year, is sponsored and promoted by the Door County Renewable Energy Task Force (RETF).

Nationwide, over 115,000 attended last year’s tour, which featured some 5,000 buildings in 2,900 participating communities. Locally, six residences and one business are participating.

“As energy prices soar,” states the American Solar Energy Society Web site, “this event offers participants the opportunity to tour homes and buildings to see how neighbors are using solar energy, energy efficiency, and other sustainable technologies to reduce their monthly bills and help tackle climate change.”

Task Force chairman Don Pardonner adds, “There are actually a lot more homes in Door County taking advantage of solar energy than are on this tour. But these homes represent a good spectrum of the technologies people are curious about.”

In the northern part of the county, the Kier/Brown and Pardonner/Renninger homes in Baileys Harbor and the Listening Point in Ellison Bay include solar electric hot water and heating systems.

Further south, the Redelin/Mandel home and the Russ Cockburn residence in Egg Harbor join the Fortin/Samida home in Carlsville. And still further south, Lake Michigan Wind and Sun in Sturgeon Bay features both a private residence and a small business utilizing solar energy. Lake Michigan Wind and Sun will also be open for viewing Friday, Oct. 3 from 10 am – 4 pm.

Specific addresses and information on the tour can be found at http://www.dcec-wi.org/solar or by calling Pardonner at 920.839.1182.

This project is made possible by a grant from the Renewable Energy Program of Wisconsin Focus on Energy.

The RETF is a project of the Door County Environmental Council, a 38-year-old not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving Door County’s environment for the generations to come. Visit DCEC at http://www.dcec-wi.com on the web.