Construction is underway on the new River City Books location in Soldotna, and owner Peggy Mullen has taken the change in location as an opportunity to make her business solar-powered.
With the help of Ben May, owner of Anchorage Solar, Mullen invited the community to a presentation on Saturday about the potential of solar energy on the peninsula.
Those who attended were able to hear from May how solar technology has advanced in the last few years, and he broke down the financial details of investing in solar technology for homes and businesses. May also touched on the environmental benefits of solar power — a 20-panel system could see a carbon offset of 212,621 pounds over a 30-year lifespan, he said.
After the presentation May took questions from the audience, and the topics ranged from the general efficiency of solar versus other forms of energy to the viability of solar in Alaska and the role of utility companies in renewable technology. Several people spoke to May after the presentation to discuss the specifics of installing solar panels in their own homes and businesses.
People were also able to get an up-close look at the solar panels being installed at River City Books by the Anchorage Solar technicians.
This presentation on solar panels was the beginning of a four-month Book to Action Climate Series — spearheaded by Cook Inletkeeper — that aims to bring environmentally conscious citizens together to formulate local action on creating a greener society.
The series is inspired by the book “Drawdown” written by Paul Hawken and published in 2017. The next local event will be at the Soldotna Public Library on Thursday, March 28 from 6 to 8 p.m.
